Find out how popular the last name Wates is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wates.

Wates, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wates surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wates in America

Wates is the 64200th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wates surname appeared 310 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wates.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wates to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wates

The surname Wates is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Wath or Wath-upon-Dearne in Yorkshire. The name is derived from the Old English word "wath," meaning a ford or shallow part of a river that can be crossed on foot.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wates can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Wath." This suggests that the name had already been established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Wath," "Wathe," and "Wattes." These variations reflect the evolving nature of surnames and the lack of standardized spelling during that time.

One notable early bearer of the surname Wates was Sir John Wates, who was born in the late 14th century and served as a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire in 1417. Another prominent figure was Thomas Wates, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived in the 16th century.

The name Wates has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Wath-upon-Dearne in Yorkshire, and Wath in Staffordshire. These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname in different regions.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Wates was Edward Wates, a British playwright and author born in 1650. His most famous work was the play "The Wary Widdower," which was performed in London in 1679.

Another significant individual with the surname Wates was Sir Henry Wates, an English businessman and philanthropist born in 1824. He founded the construction company Wates Group, which is still in operation today and is one of the largest privately-owned construction firms in the United Kingdom.

In the 20th century, the name Wates gained prominence through Sir Arnold Wates, the chairman of the Wates Group from 1943 to 1973. He was born in 1901 and played a crucial role in the company's growth and success during the post-war construction boom in Britain.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Wates, which has its roots in the Old English language and has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in Yorkshire and Staffordshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wates

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wates.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wates was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wates has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wates was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wates, please contact us.

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