Explore the Family Name Waits
The meaning of Waits
English (northern): variant of Waites.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Waits in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Waits' saw a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The ranking for this surname dropped from 5642 in 2000 to 6059 in 2010, reflecting a change of -7.39. However, there was a marginal increase in the count of individuals carrying this surname, with the number growing from 5644 in 2000 to 5661 in 2010, a rise of 0.3. The proportion per 100k also decreased by 8.13, moving from 2.09 in 2000 to 1.92 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,642 | #6,059 | -7.39% |
| Count | 5,644 | 5,661 | 0.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.09 | 1.92 | -8.13% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Waits
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census provides interesting insight into the distribution of the 'Waits' surname among different ethnic groups. In 2000, 85.06% identified as White, which slightly decreased to 83.50% in 2010. Over the same period, the percentage of people identifying as Black increased from 11.43% to 12.19%. Similarly, those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.56% to 1.87%. There was a significant jump of 47.92% in the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, though they still make up a small proportion overall. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased slightly, while those claiming two or more races saw a rise of 25.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.06% | 83.5% | -1.83% |
| Black | 11.43% | 12.19% | 6.65% |
| Hispanic | 1.56% | 1.87% | 19.87% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 1.5% | 25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.48% | 0.71% | 47.92% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.27% | 0.23% | -14.81% |
Waits ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Waits is British & Irish, which comprises 60.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.1%) and Italian (2.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, Eastern European, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.1% |
| French & German | 23.1% |
| Italian | 2.9% |
| Other | 14.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Waits
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Waits have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
What Waits haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Waits is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z156 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Birmingham, Ables, Graves, Porter, Pritchard, Land, Prosser, Millar, Brett, Small.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Waits surname are: T2b, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Waits have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Waits" Surname 34.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Waits" Surname 40.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Waits" Surname 21.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Waits" Surname 20.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Waits?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Waits are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition