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

Wayt, 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 Wayt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wayt in America

Wayt is the 29198th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wayt surname appeared 811 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 Wayt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wayt 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 Wayt

The surname WAYT is of English origin, deriving from an Anglo-Saxon personal name. It likely emerged in the 8th or 9th century during the early medieval period. The name may have originated in the East Midlands region of England, particularly in counties like Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

One potential source of the name WAYT is the Old English word "wætan," meaning "to wet" or "to moisten." This could suggest an occupational name for someone involved in dyeing or tanning leather. Alternatively, the name may derive from the Old English "wæt," meaning "wet" or "moist," possibly referring to someone living near a body of water or in a marshy area.

While the WAYT surname does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, it can be found in early English records from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest recorded instances is Robert le Wayte, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221.

During the Middle Ages, variations in spelling were common, and the name appeared as Wayte, Waite, Wate, and Waight. It may have also been influenced by place names like Waite in Lincolnshire or Waite Farm in Nottinghamshire.

Notable individuals with the surname WAYT throughout history include:

1. John Wayt (c. 1470 - c. 1537), an English composer and singer during the Tudor period.
2. Thomas Wayt (fl. 1588), an English dramatist and writer of plays performed at the Rose Theatre in London.
3. James Wayt (1674 - 1750), a British soldier and military engineer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession.
4. Elizabeth Wayt (1648 - 1711), an English Quaker minister and writer known for her religious treatises.
5. Samuel Wayt (1786 - 1862), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut.

The WAYT surname has a long history in England, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. While not as common as some other English surnames, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including musicians, writers, soldiers, and politicians.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wayt

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

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

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

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