Waitman is a unique and distinctive male given name with origins traced back to England. It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, derived from the Middle English word "wait" which referred to someone who was employed as a waiter or servant in a household of high status.
The name Waitman does not have a specific meaning attributed to it like many other names do. Instead, its meaning is derived from its occupational origin, suggesting that those bearing this name were once servants or attendants in medieval English households.
There is little historical information available about individuals named Waitman prior to the 19th century. However, it is known that the surname Waitman was brought to North America by early English settlers, with some of the earliest records of the name appearing in colonial Virginia and Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Despite its relatively rare occurrence today, Waitman remains a unique and intriguing name choice for parents looking for something distinctive for their sons. Its historic ties to England and its occupational origins lend it an air of vintage charm and character. Furthermore, as it is not widely used, those bearing the name Waitman are likely to stand out from the crowd in a memorable way.
The name Waitman appears to have been quite uncommon throughout the first half of the 20th century in the United States. According to the records provided, there were only a total of 48 babies named Waitman born between the years 1913 and 1948.
The peak years for this name appeared to be 1915 and 1924, with seven and nine births respectively during these years. However, it seems that this popularity did not carry on throughout the rest of the century, as there were only five births each in 1934 and 1948.
It's interesting to note that the name Waitman experienced a slight resurgence in popularity between 1913 and 1924, with at least five babies being named Waitman every year during this period except for 1917 and 1918, where no records exist. However, after 1924, the name's popularity appeared to decline once again.
Overall, while Waitman may not have been a particularly popular name in the United States during this time period, it did manage to maintain some level of consistency throughout the years with at least five births every decade except for the 1950s and onwards, where no records were provided.