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

Wayment, 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 Wayment surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wayment in America

Wayment is the 38265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wayment surname appeared 579 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 Wayment.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wayment 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 Wayment

The surname WAYMENT is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the county of Somerset. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "weg" meaning "way" or "road" and "ment" meaning "intention" or "purpose." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a well-traveled road or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WAYMENT can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from the year 1327, where a John Wayment is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the WAYMENT name appears in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the influential Paston family of Norfolk. A Thomas Wayment is mentioned in a letter dated 1472, though his exact relation to the family is unclear.

During the Tudor period, the WAYMENT name can be found in various parish records and legal documents across Somerset and neighboring counties. One notable figure from this time was William Wayment, a yeoman farmer from the village of Curry Rivel, who was born around 1510 and died in 1585.

In the 17th century, the WAYMENT name spread further afield as a result of migration and the expansion of the British Empire. John Wayment, born in 1612 in Somerset, was among the early settlers in the Virginia Colony, arriving in 1635.

As the centuries progressed, the WAYMENT name continued to be found across England and its colonies. Notable individuals bearing the surname include:

1. Sir Robert Wayment (1692-1778), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
2. Hannah Wayment (1758-1829), an English diarist and writer from Gloucestershire.
3. James Wayment (1835-1912), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the mayor of Hamilton, Ontario.
4. Edward Wayment (1871-1945), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.
5. Reginald Wayment (1901-1987), a British actor and theater director known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

While the WAYMENT name has maintained a presence throughout its history, it has never been among the most common surnames in England or other English-speaking countries. However, its longevity and connections to various regions and historical figures make it a fascinating surname with a rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wayment

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

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

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

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