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

Weight, 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 Weight surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weight in America

Weight is the 13034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weight surname appeared 2,356 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 Weight.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weight 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 Weight

The surname Weight is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to medieval England. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "wiht," which meant a living creature or a person. This term later evolved into the modern English word "wight," referring to a person or human being.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Weight can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry lists a landowner named Wihte, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern Weight surname.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records with spellings such as Wight, Wighte, and Wyght. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that time period. The surname may have also been influenced by the Old English word "gewicht," meaning weight or heaviness, suggesting a possible connection to a person's physical stature or occupation.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Weight throughout history include:

1. John Wight (c. 1590-1669), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
2. Robert Wight (1796-1872), a Scottish botanist and surgeon who made significant contributions to the study of Indian flora.
3. William Weight (1820-1899), a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Whitechapel Art Gallery.
4. Evelyn Wight (1838-1924), an American author and activist who advocated for women's rights and temperance reform.
5. Thomas Wight (1892-1975), a British author and journalist who wrote extensively about his experiences in World War I.

The surname Weight has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Weight's Farm in Oxfordshire and Weight's Green in Kent. These locations may have derived their names from early inhabitants bearing the Weight surname or from geographical features related to the word's meaning.

While the surname Weight has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era and the Old English language, reflecting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weight

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

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

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

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