Waite (name)

Waite is an English surname (of Norman origin) and rarely a given name.

Its variant forms include Wait, Wayte, Waits and Waight.

It is derived from the old high German wahten (to keep watch); it is common in the sense of guard or watchman to all the Teutonic languages,[1] the German wacht, Dutch vaght, Swedish vakt and English watch.

When used as a verb, its meaning is "to stay in expectation of"; as a noun, it denotes a minstrel watchmen.

Waite is an occupational name for a watchman either in a town or castle from Anglo-Norman French waite ‘watchman member of the watch’ (of ancient Germanic origin; compare Wachter / Wächter).