Waite Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Waite last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Waite last name
Meaning of the Waite last name: watchman. Waite is an English surname for a watchman, from Old Norman French waite, "guard". In medieval towns the waits were watchmen who also played music to mark the hours. The last name was common in Yorkshire and is now found across the English-speaking world.
Arms associated with the Waite name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Waite name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Waite family history
This is only a glimpse of the Waite story. The full Waite history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Waite coat of arms. Get the full Waite report.
Waite name FAQ
What does the Waite name mean?
watchman. Common variants include Wait, Waight, Wayte.
Where does the Waite surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Waite coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Waite coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).