Surname Watt - Meaning and Origin
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Watt: What does the surname Watt mean?
The last name Watt is of Scottish origin and it’s essentially a diminutive or pet form of the personal name Walter. It comes from the Old Germanic name "Waldhar", which is a compound of the elements "wald", meaning rule, and "heri", meaning army. Thus, the name Watt roughly translates to "ruler of the army". The surname was first found in Worcestershire, England, but it came to be popular in Scotland by the 12th century. The usage of Watt as a surname started around the 13th century, originally used to distinguish different generations within the same family. Over the centuries, the documentation of surnames became more regular and the use of surnames as we know them today started becoming more standardized. The surname Watt has undergone spelling variations over time like Watts, Wathes, and others. Note that the name Watt is not related to the unit of power called a "watt" which is named after the Scottish engineer James Watt.
Order DNA origin analysisWatt: Where does the name Watt come from?
The last name Watt is most commonly associated with Scotland today, and is one of the top 100 most common surnames in the country. It is a descriptive name deriving from the Middle English 'watt' meaning 'watchful', and is thought to have been first used as a given name. It is thought that the name first originated in the Scottish Borders, where it had a long and distinguished history. Today, Watt is most well known as a surname in Scotland, with more than 18,000 people carrying the name. It is particularly prevalent in the Scottish Borders region, where it is the fifth most common name, and is also featured strongly in the Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dunbartonshire regions. Beyond the Scottish Borders, the name can also be found in England and both North and South America, particularly the United States and Canada, where it is the 752nd most common surname.
Variations of the surname Watt
The surname Watt is derived from the Middle English term 'watt', meaning white or fair. This term was used to refer to someone with light hair or complexion. As such, there are a number of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Watt.
The most common variants of Watt include Watts, Wats, Wat, and Wattes. Some other less-common variants include Wott, Wutte, What, Whatt, Whitte, and Witte.
The surname is also known to have variations in spelling. It can be spelled as Watt, Watts, Wate, Watte, Wyat, and Wiat, among other spellings.
There are also a number of surnames of the same origin as Watt. Some of these are Watton, Watkin, Watkinson, Waterson, Watson, Watmough, Waugh, and Worsley.
Other surnames derived from the Scottish version of Watt include Wattis, Watterson, Watling, Waddell, Waddle, Walmsley and Watsone.
The surname Watt has endured the test of time and has stood the course of centuries, and it is still present in many countries across the world. Thus, it has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Watt
- J.J. Watt: Professional NFL Player for the Houston Texans
- T.J. Watt: Professional NFL Player for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Derek Watt: Professional NFL Player for the Los Angeles Chargers
- Evan Watt: Professional NFL Player for the City Chiefs
- Katheryn Watt: Renowned Canadian composer
- James Watt: Famous Scottish inventor known for his work on steam engine
- James Watt Jr.: Son of the noted inventor and civil engineer
- Robert Watt: Former Canadian Minister of Public Works
- Alexander Watt: Australian composer, director, and musicologist
- William Watt: Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist