Show ContentsWaide History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Waide is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the given name Wade. Waide is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed when a son used his father's personal name as a surname, while others came from the personal names of famous religious and secular figures. In this case, the surname would have come from the personal name of the father, or another ancestor of the bearer. Another derivation of this surname comes from the Old English word (ge)wæd, which means to wade, and would have been given to someone who lived near a ford. Members of the Waide family were in Durham, at Hilton Castle, since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Waide family

The surname Waide was first found in Durham where they held a family seat at Hilton Castle from very ancient times.

Early History of the Waide family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waide research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1536, 1568, 1608, 1666, 1673, 1683, 1685, 1718, 1745, 1748 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Waide History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waide Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Waide include Wade, Waide, Waid and others.

Early Notables of the Waide family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Armigil Wade or Waad (d. 1568), 'the English Columbus,' stated on the inscription of his tombstone, composed by his son, Sir William. He is said to have sprung from an ancient Yorkshire family. "He is said to have been born at Kilnsey, near Coniston, and his mother's maiden name is given as Comyn. On the dissolution of the monasteries Kilnsey was granted to Sir Richard Gresham, to whom Armagil may have owed his introduction at court. In 1536 he joined as an adventurer in Hore's voyage to North America. After about two months'...
Another 227 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Waide Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Waide family to Ireland

Some of the Waide family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Waide migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Waide Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Emma Waide (Wade), (b. 1834), aged 24, English settler from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 [1]
  • Mr. Richard Waide (Wade), (b. 1834), aged 24, English farm labourer from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Waide (post 1700) +

  • F. L. "Ben" Waide (b. 1963), American politician, Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (2011-)
  • Scott Waide (b. 1977), New Zealand former cricketer who played three first-class matches for Otago in 2001
  • Eoin Waide, Irish footballer who plays Gaelic football with his local club Naomh Conaill


  1. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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