The Waite surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 18,664 people carried this name — #1,936 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,800 people counted. That is up 7% from 17,415 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Waite surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a watchman.

English surname for a watchman of Norman origin, from the verb wait. Sometimes confused with White or Wheat.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Waite» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a name of office: ‘the wait’.

An early record he cites: Robert le Weyte, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Wait, Waite, Waitt, Wayte and Wayt.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 788 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

29 people named Waite is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 29

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Waite was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, West Riding: 16 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 625. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, West Riding 16
Lincolnshire 10
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Waite was recorded 18 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1248th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 12. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Waite in American newspapers,
1903–1916.

Newspaper page from The Mitchell Capital carrying the name Waite
The Mitchell Capital 1903-12-11
Newspaper page from The Pensacola Journal carrying the name Waite
The Pensacola Journal 1916-05-26
Newspaper page from The Prince George's Enquirer And Southern Maryland Advertiser carrying the name Waite
The Prince George's Enquirer And Southern Maryland Advertiser 1912-03-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Waite in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

34,574 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Waite. The most, 6,033, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 11,633
New South Wales 8,967
Victoria 6,934
Queensland 3,554
Western Australia 2,231
Tasmania 952
ACT (Canberra) 231
Northern Territory 27

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Waite.

Who carried it

People named Waite,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mary Waite d. 1689 · writer
  • Edwin G. Waite d. 1894 · politician
  • Barbara Waite d. 1950 · botanical collector
  • Jane Waite d. 1834
  • Ann Elizabeth Waite d. 1896
  • Elin Jane Waite d. 1993

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Waite,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,784 records

1,784 records of the Waite name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 562
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 328
  • Other U.S. records 894
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Carold Rex Waite

    Born 1930; from Shelbyville, Missouri. U.S. Marine Corps, infantry officer; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Beaufort National Cemetery, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert G. Waite

    Born 1920 in Vermont. Enlisted 1942 at Rutland; cabinetmaker from Windham County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Meetinghouse Cemetery, Brattleboro, Vermont.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Agnes Waite

    Arrived at Boston in 1848 aboard the Windsor Fay from Liverpool, aged 17; servant. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,784 records for Waite in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia878 records

878 records of the Waite name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 515
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 168
  • Other Australian records 195
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Waite

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Marmion, sailing from Portsmouth in 1827. Native of Duddington, Northamptonshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1840.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Waite

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Neckar, aged 24; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Bradley Jason Waite

    Stock agent of Wodonga, Victoria; died 1993.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 878 records for Waite in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada109 records

109 records of the Waite name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 28
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 23
  • Other Canadian records 58
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Edward Waite

    Buried in 1967 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 80.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Robert Donnison Waite

    Died 1948 in Trenton, Pictou, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record May Isabel Hardman Waite

    Died 1975; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 109 records for Waite in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom49 records

49 records of the Waite name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 34
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 7
  • Other British records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Euphemia Waite

    Died 1973, aged 71; buried at Dunblane Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Waite

    Will proved in 1930; of Wrexham, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Joseph Thorp Waite

    Born 1870. Killed or died by 1921. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 49 records for Waite in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand32 records

32 records of the Waite name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 17
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 12
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George J. F. Waite

    Died 1941, aged 75; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Waite

    Buried in 1905 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 76.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Norman Herbert Waite

    Died 1975; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Waite in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Waite name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Russell Waite

    Born 1968 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Briançon (Hautes-Alpes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Franck Waite

    Born 1933 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Le Cellier (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Waite name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Waite

    Married in 1742 in Leeuwarden.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Waite in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Waite.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Waite is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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