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Origins of the Wright surname

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What does the name Wright mean?

Wright is a common occupational surname that is believed to originate in England, where even today it is the eleventh most common surname in the country. The surname Wright derives from the Old English word 'wryhta', which began as a woodworker or woodshaper, though later the term broadened to mean any occupational worker. Wright can sometimes arise from anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic name MacIntyre, which in English means 'son of the wright'.

Alternative variations of the name Wright

Wright, Wrighte, Wraight, Wreight, Wrate

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Where do most Wrights live?

In 1921, most Wrights lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Wrights

How common is your surname?

12th most common surname in the UK

We have 993,000 records for the Wright surname. The oldest one dates back to .

Who were Wrights most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Johnsons

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Wrights.

What are the most common Wright first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Wright family members

Common jobs for Wrights

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Wrights in 1921
Dressmaker

4,370

Laundress

2,409

Domestic Servant

2,404

General Servant Domestic

2,192

House Servant

1,808

Common Male occupations for Wrights in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

4,672

Coal Miner

3,892

General Labourer

3,271

Farmer

2,978

Farm Labourer

2,656

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 790,000 family trees with the Wright surname

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