The township is named after Wawatam, an Odawa chief noted for rescuing British trader Alexander Henry the elder from the Ojibwas' capture of Fort Michilimackinac in 1763.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 705 people, 329 households, and 207 families residing in the township.

There were 587 housing units at an average density of 37.3 per square mile (14.4/km2).

There were 329 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families.

31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.