Surname Waid - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Waid: What does the surname Waid mean?
The last name Waid has multiple possible origins. The name could have originated from the Anglo-Saxon tribal name Waed, which means "hunt," or from the Olde English pre 7th Century word "waied," meaning "way." Alternatively, it could have been derived from the phrase "waide" or "weide" meaning "meadow." The surname Waid may also have been derived from the Old German "walt" meaning "rule," a reference to a governance role such as magistrate or judge.
It is known that the Waid family first appeared in Germany and spread to England and Scotland in the 1500s. Records of the surname can be found in counties such as Roxburghshire, Somerset, and Yorkshire in England, as well as in Scotland.
The coat of arms or family crest of the Waid family is silver, bordered with black, with golden stars inside each corner. The crest features a raised arm, denoting courage and strength.
The Waid surname is most common in the United Kingdom, but it also appears in other parts of Europe and the United States. According to records from the 2020 United States Census, the last name Waid is ranked 26th among the most common surnames in the country.
In conclusion, the Waid surname comes from multiple sources and is now found in several countries. Its coat of arms or family crest symbolizes strength, courage, and faith.
Order DNA origin analysisWaid: Where does the name Waid come from?
The last name Waid is most commonly found in the United States today. It is especially common in the midwestern and southern states, particularly in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Texas. It is also quite common in Canada, with Waids mainly being found in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.
The Waid surname was derived from a German-language personal name of uncertain origin. The names likely reflect an ancestor who was known for his courage and strength, or for his physical characteristics, such as his height. It is also possible that the name was derived from the Old English word wӕd, meaning "meadow" or "forest."
The earliest recorded use of the Waid surname dates back to 15th century Germany, where it was most prominent in the region that later became Saxony. Today, the Waid family name is still strongly associated with Germany, but it is also found among the Patchwork Quilty of North America, with many Waid ancestry lines tracing back to colonials who arrived from the British Isles and other European countries during the 1600s and 1700s.
The Waid genealogical tree could be found in many American states, and in Canada, as the surname became more and more popular during the 19th and 20th centuries. The surname could also be found in other countries around the world, such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, as a result of immigration from these and other parts of the world during the 20th century.
Variations of the surname Waid
The surname Waid is derived from the German word “waid,” which means “meadow” or “hunt.” It is unusual in that it is spelled the same both in English and in German, and it has no directly associated variants or spellings. However, there are some surnames that share the same origin: Waide, Wayde, Waidee, Waedy, Waite, Waits, Wait, Wate, Wates, and Wiggins.
The surname Waid is one of many German surnames with a long history of being used by people of German origin or with German ancestry, and as such there are many variations in spelling across the world. The most common variant spellings of the surname are Waide, Wayde, and Waidy, which are found in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada, respectively.
The British and Irish version of the surname can be variations of Waite, Wait, Wate, and Wates, all of which share the same German origin. Meanwhile, the Americanized version of Waid is Wiggins, but this spelling is often used by people of African American heritage.
In addition to the above-mentioned variations of the name, Waid can also be found in Austria, where it is spelled as Waidee and Waidi. In France, the surname is either Waiteau or Waiteaux. Likewise, Waid can also be found in Latin America, where it may appear as Wad or Vada.
Overall, the surname Waid is an unusual one in that it is spelled the same regardless of language, but it can be found in various variants and spellings depending on the region and country where it is used. As a result, it is sometimes difficult to track the lineage of individuals who bear this surname, making genealogical research a difficult but rewarding task.
Famous people with the name Waid
- Mark Waid: American comic book writer and editor
- Tom Waid: American Artist and Educator
- Lenny Waid: American Former Major League Baseball Pitcher
- Lew Waid: American Sportscaster and Television Host
- Ed Waid: American Football Tackle in the NFL from 1969: 1976
- Art Waid: American Politician and Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Peggy Waid: American Attorney and Former First Lady of Pennsylvania
- Arnie Waid: Major League Baseball Player in the 1940s
- Dusty Waid: American Fleer Category Head and 2004 National Baseball Card Day Guest of Honor
- Lee Waid: American Assessor and Special Commissioner for the Circuit Court of Kentucky