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

Wathey, 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 Wathey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wathey in America

Wathey is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wathey surname appeared 120 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 Wathey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wathey 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 Wathey

The surname Wathey has its roots in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wath," which means a ford or shallow crossing in a river. This suggests that the name may have been derived from a place name associated with a location near a ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it is recorded as "Wathay." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that period, as they often evolved based on local dialects and phonetic adaptations.

While the Wathey surname does not appear in the famous Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror, it is possible that the name's origins can be traced back to the pre-Norman era, as many English place names and surnames have roots in Anglo-Saxon and Old English words.

During the Middle Ages, the Wathey family is believed to have been concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One notable figure from this period was Robert de Wathey, a landowner mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1303.

As time progressed, the surname spread to other parts of England, and various spellings emerged, such as Wathey, Wathy, and Wathe. In the 16th century, records show a John Wathey born in 1541 in Yorkshire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

Another individual of note was William Wathey, born in 1602 in Lincolnshire, who was a respected scholar and author of several theological works. His writings were widely circulated during the Puritan era and influenced the religious discourse of the time.

In the 18th century, the Wathey family continued to contribute to various fields. Thomas Wathey (1726-1803) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. George's Church in Bloomsbury.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was James Wathey (1819-1891), a pioneering industrialist from Yorkshire who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the region.

Throughout its history, the Wathey surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and merchants to scholars and industrialists. While not a widespread name, it has left its mark on the annals of English history, tracing its origins back to the early medieval period and the Old English language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wathey

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

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 Wathey 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 Wathey 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 Wathey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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