Wright
Wright | |
---|---|
Family name | |
Meaning | Worker, maker |
Region of origin | England |
Footnotes: Frequency Comparisons[1] |
Wright is an occupational surname originating in England.[1] The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker[2][3] (for example, a shipwright is a person who builds ships), and is used as a British family name.
Wright is the sixteenth most common surname in England.[1] Its use as an occupational title continued until the mid-19th century. This use was often combined with other words such as in shipwright, wheelwright,[4] wainwright and playwright.[5]
The word carpentier, now "carpenter", was introduced into England in the years after the Norman conquest in 1066 and slowly replaced the traditional name and meaning of wright in most of England.
'Wright' is still used in Scottish English in the original meaning of 'skilled woodworker'. The Incorporation of Wrights of the Trades House of Glasgow,[6] and the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons of Edinburgh Trades[7] retain the word in its original meaning in their role of promoting the woodworking trade.
Wright is also an anglicised version of the Scots Gaelic clan name "MacIntyre" or "Mac an t-Saoir", meaning "son of the wright" (son of the carpenter).[8][9][10]
People with the family name
A
- Aaron Wright (born 1977), Australian radio personality
- Adam Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Albert Hazen Wright, American herpetologist
- Alexander Wright (soldier), British army private, awarded VC during the Crimean War
- Alex Wright, former wrestler
- Alex Wright (footballer born 1925), Scottish footballer
- Allen Wright, Choctaw chief credited with creating the name "Oklahoma"
- Almroth Wright, British bacteriologist
- Alonzo Wright, Canadian politician
- Ambrose R. Wright, American Confederate General
- Amos Wright, Canadian politician
- Amy Wright, American actress
- Andrew Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Anthony Wright (quarterback), American football player
- Anthony Wright (field hockey), Canadian field hockey player
- Anthony David Wright, British politician, MP for Great Yarmouth
- Antoine Wright (disambiguation), several people, including:
- Antoine Wright (basketball) (born 1984), American basketball player
- Antoine Wright (politician) (born 1960), Vanuatuan politician
- Arthur E. Wright (1907–1977), Canadian politician
- Arthur Williams Wright (1836–1915), American physicist
- Arthur Wright (footballer) (1919–1985), English footballer who played for Sunderland
- Sir Arthur Cory-Wright, 2nd Baronet (1869–1951)
- Arthur Wright (writer) (1870–1932), Australian novelist
- Arthur F. Wright (1913–1976), American academic, sinologist, editor and professor of history
- Arthur Hobbins Wright (1861–1938), New Zealand policeman and police commissioner
- A. Gilbert Wright (1909–1987), American zoologist
- Ashley B. Wright, American politician
- Ashley Wright (cricketer), English cricketer
B
- Bailey Wright, Australian footballer
- Barry Wright, English footballer
- Beals Wright, American tennis player
- Ben Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Bernie Wright, British footballer and TV personality
- Betsey Wright, American political consultant, lobbyist, and activist
- Betty Wright (born 1953), American musician
- Bill Wright (outfielder) (1914–1996), baseball player
- Bill Wright (catcher), baseball player
- Billy Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Blanche Fisher Wright, illustrator
- Bob Wright, American television businessman and president, CEO, and chairman of NBC
- Bonnie Wright, English actress, known for playing Ginny Weasley in Harry Potter Film series.
- Brad Wright, TV writer
- Bradley Wright-Phillips, English footballer
- Brian Wright (rugby league), Australian rugby league player
- Brian Wright (Scottish footballer)
C
- C. D. Wright, American poet
- Carl Wright (civil servant), British civil servant
- Carolyn Wright (Chief Justice), the Chief Justice of the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas
- Carroll D. Wright, American statistician
- Chalky Wright, Mexican boxer
- Charles Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Chauncey Wright, American philosopher and mathematician
- Chely Wright (born 1970), American singer
- Chris Wright (footballer), English footballer
- Christopher B. Wright, American webcomic writer
- Cindy Wright (born 1972), Belgian artist
- Claud William Wright (1917–2010), British amateur paleontologist and public servant
- Clarissa Dickson Wright, English celebrity chef
- Claire Wright, British trampolinist
- Cliff Wright, British illustrator
- Clyde Wright, former baseball player
- Craig Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Crispin Wright, British philosopher
D
- Dale Wright (1938–2007), American rock 'n' roll singer
- Dana Wright (born 1959), Canadian former hurdler
- Daniel Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Dare Wright, Canadian children's writer
- David Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Denny Wright, British guitarist
- Don Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Dorell Wright, American basketball player
- Doug Wright, American playwright
- Doug Wright II, Canadian cartoonist
- Doug Wright (cricketer), English cricketer
- Douglas E. Wright, Canadian horror writer
E
- E. M. Wright (1906–2005), British mathematician and coauthor of the "Hardy & Wright" number theory textbook
- Edgar Wright, English film director
- Edward Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Edwin M. Wright, American foreign relations expert
- Edythe Wright, American singer who recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
- Elizabeth Oehlkers Wright, American translator
- Elizur Wright, American theorist of life insurance
- Eric Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Erik Olin Wright, American sociologist
- Ernest Vincent Wright, American writer
- Eugene Wright (born 1923), musician
F
- Farnsworth Wright (1888–1940), editor of Weird Tales
- Fielding L. Wright, American politician
- Finbar Wright (born 1957), Irish singer, songwriter, musician and poet
- Frances Wright, British-American lecturer
- Frank Edwin Wright III (aka Tré Cool, born 1972), German-born American drummer for the punk rock band Green Day
- Frank Lloyd Wright, architect
- Franz Wright (born 1953), poet
- Fred Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Freda Wright-Sorce, American radio personality
G
- G. V. Wright, Irish politician
- Gary Wright, American musician
- Georg Henrik von Wright (1916–2003), Finland-Swedish philosopher
- George Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Gertrude Baniszewski, American murderer, also known as Gertrude Wright
- Gillian Wright, British actress
- Ginny Wright, American singer
- Gordon Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Gregory Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
H
- Harold Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Harry Wright, baseball player
- Helena Rosa Wright, pioneer in birth control
- Henry T. Wright, American archaeologist, National Geographic, University of Michigan
- Henry W. Wright
- Herbert Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Hiram A. Wright, American politician
- Horatio Wright, American general
I
- Ian Wright, English footballer and TV presenter
- Ian Wright (traveller), British traveller
- Iain Wright (born 1972), British politician
- Isaac Wright
J
- J. Skelly Wright (1911–1988), American circuit and district judge
- Jackie Wright, British comedian
- Jackie Wright (footballer), English footballer
- Jaguar Wright, American singer
- Jake Wright, football player
- James Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Jamey Wright, American baseball player
- Jamie Wright (born 1976), Canadian ice hockey player
- Janet Wright (1945–2016), Canadian actress
- Jaret Wright, American baseball player
- Jay Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Jeffrey Wright (actor), American actor
- Jeremy Wright
- Jeremiah Wright, American pastor
- Jim Wright, American politician
- Joanne Wright, British badminton player
- Jocky Wright, Scottish footballer
- Joe Wright, film director (Pride & Prejudice and Atonement)
- John Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Johnny Wright (footballer), Northern Irish footballer
- Johnny Wright (music manager), American music act manager
- José Roberto Wright, former Brazilian football (soccer) referee
- Joseph Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Joshua Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Judith Wright (1915–2000), Australian poet
K
- Katharine Wright, high school teacher; sister of Wilbur and Orville
- Katie Wright, American actress
- Keith Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Kenneth Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Kit Wright, English poet and children's author
- Kristy Wright, Australian actress
L
- L. R. Wright (1939–2001), Canadian writer
- Lawrence Wright, American author
- Laura Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Leo Wright, American jazz musician
- Lloyd Wright, architect
- Lorenzen Wright, basketball player
- Lorenzo Wright, American athlete
- Louis Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Lucilla Wright, English field hockey player
- Luke Edward Wright, American politician
- Luke Wright, English cricketer
- Luther Wright, former basketball player
M
- Manuel Wright, American football player
- Marc Wright (1890–1975), American pole vaulter
- Margaret Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Marian Wright Edelman (born 1939), American lawyer and founder of the Children's Defense Fund
- Mark Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Martha Griffiths, American lawyer, also known as Martha Edna Wright
- Martin Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Marty Wright, American wrestler
- Matthew Wright (disambiguation)
- Mauricio Wright, Costa Rican soccer player
- Max Wright, American actor
- Micah Wright, American writer
- Michael Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Mickey Wright, American golfer
- Mike Wright, American football player
- Milton Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
N
- N. T. Wright, English theologian and prolific writer
- Nate Wright, American football player
- Nathan Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
O
- Orville Wright (1871–1948), American airplane inventor
P
- Pamela Payton-Wright, American actress
- Patrick Wright (historian), British cultural studies academic
- Patrick Wright, Baron Wright of Richmond, British diplomat
- Pete Wright (musician), bass player for the band Crass from 1977 until 1984
- Peter Coleman-Wright (born 1958), Australian baritone opera singer
- Peter Wright (disambiguation), multiple people, including:
- Peter Wright, a former MI5 counterintelligence officer, Spycatcher author
- Peter Wright (martyr), English Jesuit
- Peter Wright (rugby league), Australian rugby league footballer
- Peter Wright (rugby union), Scottish rugby union footballer and coach
- Philemon Wright, Canadian farmer
- Phillip Wright, Human Resource Specialist
- Phoenix Wright (character), a defense attorney and the main character of the Nintendo DS video game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Q
- Quincy Wright, American political scientist
R
- Ralph Wright, American animator, storyboard writer and voice actor
- Randy Wright, American football player
- Rebecca Wright, American ballet teacher
- Richard Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Rob Wright, Canadian songwriter
- Robert Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Robin Wright (author), Washington Post staff writer
- Robin Wright (born 1966), American actress
- Ronald Wright, Canadian writer
- Ronald Selby Wright, Church of Scotland minister
- Roy Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Ruby Wright (1914–2004), American singer and songwriter
- Ruby Wright (1939–2009), American country music singer-songwriter
- Ruggles Wright, Canadian lumber merchant
S
- Samuel E. Wright, American actor
- Sarah Wright, American actress
- Sarah E. Wright, American writer
- Scooby Wright III (born 1994), American football player
- Sewall Wright (1889–1988), biologist
- Shannon Wright, American singer-songwriter
- Shaun Wright-Phillips (born 1981), English footballer
- Silas Wright (fl. 1840s), American politician
- Simon Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Simon Wright (musician), Australian drummer
- Simon Wright (politician), British Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament
- Sophie Wright (disambiguation), multiple people, including:
- Sophie B. Wright, 1866–1912), American educator
- Sophie Wright (chef), British chef
- Stanton Macdonald-Wright, American painter
- Stephen Wright (English footballer), English footballer
- Stephen Wright (writer), American writer
- Steve Wright (DJ), English broadcaster
- Steve Wright (serial killer) (born 1958), British serial killer
- Steven Wright (born 1955), comedian
- Stevie Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Stuart Wright, English rugby league player
- Susan Barrantes, mother of Sarah, Duchess of York; also known as Susan Mary Wright
- Susan Webber Wright, American judge
- Susanna Wright, American poet
- Sydney Fowler Wright, English writer
- Syreeta Wright, American singer-songwriter
T
- Teresa Wright, American actress
- Terry Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Theodore Wright, British soldier
- Theodore Paul Wright, American aeronautical engineer
- Theodore S. Wright, African-American abolitionist
- Thomas Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Timothy Wright, American gospel singer, and pastor
- T. M. Wright, American writer
- Todd Wright, American sports broadcaster
- Tom Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Tommy Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Tony Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Turbutt Wright (1741–1783), American planter and politician
- Tyler Wright, Canadian ice hockey player
- Trucy Wright, a character in the Nintendo DS video game Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
V
- Victoria Wright (born 1976), female badminton player from France
- Vivian Wright, fictional character from Dream Team
W
- Wallace Duffield Wright, British soldier
- Warren Wright (1893–1962), American politician
- Whitaker Wright, English businessman
- Wilbur Wright (1867–1912), American airplane inventor
- Will Wright (actor) (born 1891), American character actor
- Will Wright (cyclist) (born 1973), Welsh cyclist
- Will Wright (game designer), American computer game designer most known for developing SimCity and The Sims
- S. S. Van Dine, American writer, also known as Willard Huntington Wright
- William Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Wm. Robert Wright, Latter Day Saint historian
- Winky Wright, American boxer
- The Wright brothers (Wilbur and Orville Wright), airplane inventors
Fictional entities
- Pastor Leon Wright, a fictional character in The Returned (U.S. TV series)
See also
- Cartwright (disambiguation)
- Von Wright
- Wainwright (disambiguation)
- Wheelwright (disambiguation)
- Wright (disambiguation)
References
- 1 2 3 Wright Surname at Forebears
- ↑ Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. ISBN 0-87779-338-7.
- ↑ Harrison, Henry (1969). Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. 2. Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 311.
- ↑ Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights
- ↑ "Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Version 4.0 (Windows & Mac)".
- ↑ Incorporation of Wrights of the Trades House of Glasgow
- ↑ Incorporation of Wrights and Masons of Edinburgh Trades
- ↑ MacIntyre at Scotweb Clan
- ↑ MacIntyre Clan myth
- ↑ Clan MacIntyre Association