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

Waybright, 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 Waybright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waybright in America

Waybright is the 18144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waybright surname appeared 1,534 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Waybright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waybright 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 Waybright

The surname Waybright is an English name that originated in the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "weg" meaning "way" and "beorht" meaning "bright". It is believed to have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a guide or pathfinder, leading travelers along roads and paths.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1273, when a William Waybright was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, which provide valuable insight into the names and occupations of people living in England during that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the form "le Waibrighte" in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire, which were tax records used to assess and collect taxes from individuals. This variation in spelling is not uncommon, as surnames were often recorded phonetically by scribes, leading to various spellings.

During the 16th century, the name Waybright was found in the Parish Records of St. Mary's Church in Lambeth, London. Among the notable individuals with this surname was John Waybright, a merchant who lived in London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).

In the 17th century, the Waybright name gained some prominence in the village of Weston-under-Wetherley in Warwickshire. A Thomas Waybright (1620-1692) was a landowner and farmer in the area, and his descendants continued to live in the region for several generations.

Another notable bearer of the Waybright surname was William Waybright (1738-1818), a Presbyterian minister and educator who founded the Waybright Academy in Pennsylvania, United States. This academy played a significant role in the education of young men in the region during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In the 19th century, the Waybright family had a presence in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. One remarkable individual was Sir Charles Waybright (1820-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of his local community.

Throughout its history, the surname Waybright has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, ministers, and educators. While the name may have evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the occupation of those who guided travelers along roads and pathways.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waybright

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!