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Wight Family History

Wight Name Meaning

Scottish and English: nickname from Middle English wiht wight ‘agile nimble strong brave’ (Old Norse víg with the Old Norse neuter suffix -t for which compare the word scant) or from the corresponding Older Scots word wicht. Possibly sometimes a nickname from Middle English wight ‘living creature; small portion or thing’ or from the corresponding Older Scots word wicht. English: habitational name from the Isle of Wight. The island is recorded as Vectis (its Latin name) c. 150 AD. Its name derives from a British word perhaps related to Welsh gwaith ‘turn course’ meaning ‘place of the division’ in reference to the island's position in the Solent. English and Scottish: variant of White .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Light, Wright, Might, Wicht, Hight, High, Wigg, Weight, Slight

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Wight family from?

You can see how Wight families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wight family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wight families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 44 Wight families living in New York. This was about 23% of all the recorded Wight's in USA. New York had the highest population of Wight families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wight surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Wight ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wight. 14% of Wight men worked as a Laborer and 11% of Wight women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wight were Carpenter and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Wight | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    11%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wight family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Wight. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wight census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wight

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Wight. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Wight. For the veterans among your Wight ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Wight lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Wight life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Wight in 1948 was 30, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wight

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