Recorded in many forms including Way, Waye, Wey, Weigh, Attaway, Bitheway, Byway (English), Weg, Wegman and Wegmann (German), Van der Weghe, Van der Wegen and Wegman (Dutch) Wegsman (Askenasic) and possibly others including the English Wayman, this is a surname of at least two possible origins. Firstly and most likely it was topographical and as such it described one who lived by a "weg". This was the pre 7th century word for a public pathway or road, but not a Roman road. These were paved and known as "straets". Secondly it is also possible that some nameholders at least originate from an ancient personal name recorded as Wazo or Gazo. These were Anglo-Saxon baptismal names of some popularity, and which lead to the later creation of a number of surnames including; Wais, Waison, Wayson, Gaish, Gaishson, Gasson, Gashion and Gaze, the latter being particularly associated with East Anglia. The name appears as "Gazo" in the famous English Domesday Book of 1086, whilst surname recordings taken from surviving charters and registers of that medieval period include: John Gace of Hampshire in the year 1230, William Waye of Dorset in 1236, Hans Wegmann of Bregenzer Wald, Germany, in 1390, and Roger Wayman or Waythman in the Friary Rolls of Yorkshire, in 1437, Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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