Wade
An old English surname that may mean a ford or crossing place, but it also became linked to a legendary hero named Wade.
The #319 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,182 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually explained as either a topographic name for someone who lived by or at a ford, or as a name connected with the old word for a fordable crossing. Some early writers also connected it with an Old English personal name, Wade/Wada. The historical sources do not fully agree, so the name may have multiple origins in different families.
History
Medieval records show forms such as de Wade and de la Wade in England from the 12th and 13th centuries. The name was later reinforced by the fame of Wade, a figure from Scandinavian and medieval romance who is mentioned by Chaucer and others. Because of these overlapping explanations, some Wade families may descend from place-based origins while others may reflect the older personal name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname was associated in medieval literature with a now-lost romance about the legendary Wade, whose adventures were famous enough to be mentioned by Chaucer.
From the historical record
“WADDRUP(P for Wardrobe, q.v. WADE (Eng.) i Dweller at a Ford [O.E. ge)wad = O.N. udS, a lord] Will' de Wade.— Charter-Rolls, A.D. 1 199-1200. Henry de la Wade. — Hund. Rolls, A.D. 1274. 2 the common A.-Sax. pers. namelVada,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)