Show ContentsWaing History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestry of the name Waing can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a name for a wainwright or wagon builder. The surname Waing is derived from the Old English word wægnwyrhta, which means wainwright. 1 2

"Wain is an old, but nearly obsolete, word for wagon. In Sussex, a shed in which wagons stand is called a wain-house or ' wen-hus,' and in some parts of England a wagoner is called a wain-man, whence the surname Wenman. Nor must we forget the constellation, Charles's Wain. A Wainwright was therefore synonymous with Cartwright and Wheelwright, also English surnames, and signified a builder of wagons." 1

Early Origins of the Waing family

The surname Waing was first found in Worcestershire where they were Lords of the manor of Dudelei from very ancient times, and it is possible that they are interrelated with the Norman Baron William FitzAnsculf whose castle was in Dudley.

One of the earliest records of the name was Alimar Wanwrecthe who was listed in Essex in 1237. Adam the Waynwrith was listed in Yorkshire in 1285 and Alan le Waynwright was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1285. 2

Early History of the Waing family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waing research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1568, 1577, 1592 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Waing History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waing Spelling Variations

Waing has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Waing have been found, including Wainwright, Waynewright, Wainright, Wayn and others.

Early Notables of the Waing family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Waing Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waing family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Waings to arrive on North American shores: Hester Wainewright who settled in Barbados in 1682; William Wainright settled in Barbados in 1654; John Wainright settled in Pennsylvania in 1773; Mary and John Wainwright settled in New York N.Y. in 1821.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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