Surname Wayte - Meaning and Origin

Wayte: What does the surname Wayte mean?

The surname Wayte is of English origin and has several possible meanings. It could be an occupational name for a watchman or a guard, derived from the Old English term 'weard'. Some bearers might have got their surname because they were employed as a 'wayte,' an official musician who would play at public functions and holidays, deriving its name from old English term 'waegta,' meaning 'watchman'. Alternatively, it could indicate someone who lived near a road or a path, from the Old English term 'weg,' meaning 'way'. During the Middle Ages, 'wayte' was used to denote a professional night watchman who played music to mark the hours. It is also plausible that it could be a nickname for a stout or rotund person as it is similar to the Anglo-Norman term 'weight,' meaning 'weight'. However, the true meaning of such an ancient name can be challenging to determine, and it could have multiple origins depending on the individual family history.

Wayte: Where does the name Wayte come from?

The surname Wayte is currently most commonly found in English speaking countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other English speaking countries where British colonial influence is still present. Wayte is a patronymic surname, meaning it was derived from a person’s father’s name, in this case being derived from the Middle English name “Wei(gh)t” which is a nickname for someone with blond hair or a pale complexion.

In the UK, Wayte is most commonly found in the counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, while in the United States it is most commonly found in the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Historically, Wayte and its variations (such as Waite, Waight, White, etc) were quite common throughout the south west of England, as evidenced by their presence in early English documents and records. Similarly, these names are quite common in the southern states of the US due to the ancestral ties between these regions.

In more recent times, those bearing the Wayte surname have been quite dispersed throughout the English speaking world due to economic opportunities and emigration to other English speaking countries.

Overall, the surname Wayte is still quite common and widespread in countries where English is spoken, although its geographical presence is unevenly spread in aesthetically isolated pockets throughout the English speaking world.

Variations of the surname Wayte

The surname Wayte has various spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin. The most common spelling used is Wayte, which is derived from the Old English word ‘wæt’ meaning ‘wet meadow’. Other alternate spellings of the surname include Waite, Waight, Waighte, Wait, Waiet and Wayt.

The surname Wayte is related to several other similar sounding and spelling names, which can often be confused with Wayte. These include Waite, Wait, Waitt, Wight, Wightman, Weyte, Whet, White, Whitt, Wight, and Witte.

Other surnames of similar origin and sound - which could be associated to the Wayte surname - include Weight, Weightman, Whetstone, Whetton,Whetten, Whittingham, Whitton, Wates, Way and Waite.

The American surname Wait is also derived from the same origin, but it is more commonly used in the United States as an anglicized form of the French surname 'Guay'.

Finally, the Dutch surnames Wijs and Wyts may also have a connected origin to the surname Wayte. The Dutch ‘Wijs’ surname is derived from the Germanic personal name ‘Wisdom’, and the Dutch 'Wyts' is derived from the German personal name 'Witte'.

Famous people with the name Wayte

• Stephen Wayte: English actor best known for his role in the sitcom, The Young Ones.
• Chapman Wayte: British athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in the 100 metres.
• David Wayte: an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s.
• Sydney Wayte: an English cricketer who played in the 1921 County Championship.
• Hilda Wayte: a British stage and silent film actor.
• Derek Wayte: a former Australian rules footballer and coach.
• Penny Wayte: an English actress who appeared in Where Angels Fear to Tread and other films.
• Mark Wayte: an English former professional footballer.
• Kaye Wayte: an English former professional footballer.
• Geoff Wayte: a former Australian rules footballer.
• Samuel Wayte: an English cricketer who played for Worcestershire between 1861 and 1862.
• Arthur Wayte: the fifth Bishop of Perth in the Anglican Church of Australia.
• Frederick Wayte: an English veterinarian and scientist who published a verdict of the medical uses of playing cricket.
• Neil Wayte: a former English professional rugby union player.
• W. Lloyd Wayte: a Cornish cricketer who was active in the 1850s.
• Rick Wayte: a Canadian musician, composer, and recording engineer.
• Taylor Wayte: an English professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2011.
• Bruce Wayte: an Australian former association football player who played professionally in Scotland.
• Sharon Wayte: an English author who has written several novels about life in a small English village.
• Peter Wayte: a former English footballer who played for Chelsea.

Other surnames

Wayt