Wright is an occupational surname originating in England and Scotland. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word wryhta or wyrhta, meaning "worker or shaper of wood". Later, the word referred to any occupational worker and came to be used as a surname.
The word's use as an occupational title continued until the mid-19th century, often combined with other words such as in shipwright, wheelwright,Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights wainwright and playwright. The word carpentier, now carpenter, was introduced into England in the years after the Norman conquest in 1066 and slowly replaced the traditional meaning of wright in most of England. 'Wright' is still used in Scottish English in its original meaning of 'skilled woodworker'. The Incorporation of Wrights of the Trades House of Glasgow,Incorporation of Wrights of the Trades House of Glasgow and the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons of Edinburgh TradesIncorporation of Wrights and Masons of Edinburgh Trades retain the word in its original meaning in their role of promoting the woodworking trade.
In 2014, Wright was the eleventh most common surname in England. 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).MacIntyre at Scotweb ClanMacIntyre Clan mythClan MacIntyre Association
Notable people with the surname "Wright" include
A
Ab Wright (1905–1995), American football and baseball player Abbie J. Wright (1862–??), American singer Abraham Wright (born 1984), American football player Abraham Wright (deacon) (1611–1690), English theologian and deacon Ada Wright (1862–1939), English suffragist Adrian Wright (1947–2015), English-Australian actor A. Gilbert Wright (1909–1987), American zoologist Akanbi Wright, Nigerian musician Akil Wright (born 1996), English footballer Alexandra Wright, English rabbi Alexis Wright (born 1950), Aboriginal Australian writer Alexsandra Wright (born 1971), Canadian actress Alfred Wright (1848–1909), Anglican priest Alfred Wright (missionary) (1788–1853), American minister Allan Wright (1920–2015), English pilot Allan Wright (farmer) (1929–2022), New Zealand businessman Allen Wright (1826–1885), American native chief Allen Wright (journalist) (1932–1997), Scottish art critic and journalist Almroth Wright (1861–1947), British immunologist Aloma Wright (born 1950), American actress Alonzo Wright (1821–1894), Canadian businessman and politician Alphonse Wright (1887–1953), Belgian footballer Alvin Wright (1961–2018), American football player Ambrose R. Wright (1826–1872), American army general Amos Wright (1809–1886), Canadian politician Amra-Faye Wright (born 1960), South African actress Amy Wright, American actress and former model Amy Wright (basketball) (born 1980), American basketball coach Andre Wright (born 1996), English footballer Andrea Wright, American basketball player Andwuelle Wright (born 1997), Trinidadian long jumper Angela Wright, English businesswoman Ann Wright (born 1947), American colonel Annemarie Wright (born 1979), English artist Anton Wright (born 1974), British adventurer Antonia Wright (born 1979), American artist Apollo Wright, American football coach April Wright, American writer Arin Wright (born 1992), American soccer player Arlaine Wright, Canadian exercise instructor Aron Wright (1810–1885), American physician and educator Asher Wright (1803–1875), American missionary
B
Bagley Wright (1924–2011), American philanthropist Bailey Wright (born 1992), Australian footballer Barrie Wright (born 1945), English footballer Barry Wright (footballer) (born 1939), Welsh footballer Basil Wright (1907–1987), English filmmaker Beals Wright (1871–1961), American tennis player Beatrice Wright (1910–2003), American-born British politician Beatrice Wright (psychologist) (1917–2018), American psychologist Bernard Wright (1963–2022), American musician Bernie Wright (born 1954), British footballer Berny Wright (born 1979), Costa Rican footballer Bertha Wright (1876–1971), American nurse Bertie Wright (1871–1960), British actor Bertie Wright (cricketer) (1897–1955), English cricketer Bessie Wright, Scottish healer Betsey Wright (born 1943), American political consultant Betty Wright (1953–2020), American singer Betty Ren Wright (1927–2013), American writer Beverly Wright, American environmentalist Blanche Fisher Wright (1887–1971), American illustrator Bonnie Wright (born 1991), English actress Boomer Wright, American politician Bracey Wright (born 1984), American basketball player Brandon Wright (born 1997), American football player Brendan Wright, American musician and songwriter Brent Wright (born 1978), American basketball player Bricktop Wright (1908–1972), American baseball player Brock Wright (born 1998), American football player Broderick Wright (born 1987), Australian rugby league footballer Bryant Wright, American minister
C
Caesar Wright (1904–1967), Canadian jurist Caleb Wright (1810–1898), English mill owner and politician Caleb Merrill Wright (1908–2001), American judge Callum Wright (born 2000), English footballer Calvin E. Wright (1908–1988), American politician Camille Wright (born 1955), American swimmer Campbell Wright (born 2002), New Zealand biathlete Carleton H. Wright (1892–1973), American admiral Carolann Wright, Canadian politician Carolyne Wright (born 1949), American poet Carroll D. Wright (1840–1909), American statistician Casey Wright (born 1981), American horse trainer Casey Wright (skier) (born 1994), Australian skier Cathie Wright (1929–2012), American politician C. Conrad Wright (1917–2011), American religious historian Cedric Wright (1889–1959), American violinist Cesare Wright, American filmmaker Ceyair Wright (born 2002), American football player Chad Wright (born 1991), Jamaican discus thrower Chalky Wright (1912–1957), American boxer Chantal Wright (born 1993), American judoka Charlie Wright (1938–2024), Scottish footballer and manager Chatt G. Wright (born 1941), American academic administrator Chauncey Wright (1830–1875), American philosopher and mathematician Chely Wright (born 1970), American singer Chuck Wright (born 1959), American bassist Cindy Wright (born 1972), Belgian-American painter C. Kelly Wright, American actress Clare Wright (born 1969), American-Australian historian Clarissa Dickson Wright (1947–2014), English chef Claud William Wright (1917–2010), British paleontologist Claudia Wright (1934–2005), Australian journalist Clay Wright, American kayaker Clive Wright (born 1965), Jamaican sprinter Clyde Wright (born 1941), American baseball player Clyde J. Wright (1878–??), American editor Clymer Wright (1932–2011), American activist Cobina Wright (1887–1970), American singer and actress Cobina Wright Jr. (1921–2011), American singer and actress Colin William Wright (1867–1952), Australian cattle breeder Conroy Wright (born 1985), Caymanian cricketer Courtney Wright (born 1994), Northern Irish lawn bowler Cowley Wright (1889–1923), English actor Crispin Wright (born 1942), British philosopher C. S. Wright (1887–1975), Canadian explorer Curtis Wright (born 1955), American musician Cuthbert Wright (1892–1948), American poet Cy Wright (1893–1947), American baseball player
D
Dae'Quan Wright (born 2003), American football player Damien Wright (born 1975), Australian cricketer Dana Wright (born 1959), Canadian hurdler Daniel W. Wright (1797–1844), justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi Daphne Wright (born 1963), Irish visual artist Dare Wright (1914–2001), Canadian writer Darnell Wright (born 2001), American football player Darrell Wright (born 1979), American football player Dawn Wright (born 1961), American geographer Dean Wright (born 1962), American film director DeAndre Wright (born 1986), American football player Deborah Wright (born 1958), American corporate executive Deil S. Wright (1930–2009), American political scientist Delon Wright (born 1992), American basketball player Demetrius Wright (born 1991), American football player Denis Wright (1911–2005), British diplomat Denis Wright (composer) (1895–1967), English composer Dennis Wright (1919–1993), English footballer Dennis H. Wright (1931–2020), English professor Denny Wright (1924–1992), British guitarist Derek Wright (born 1998), American football player Derrick Wright (born 1928), British author Destry Wright (born 1977), American football player Dexter Russell Wright (1821–1886), American lawyer and politician Diana Kingsmill Wright (1908–1982), Canadian journalist Diaz Wright (born 1998), English footballer Dizzy Wright (born 1990), American rapper Dondre Wright (born 1994), Canadian football player Dorell Wright (born 1985), American basketball player Dorick M. Wright (1945–2020), Belizean prelate Dorsey Wright (born 1957), American actor Drew Wright (born 1979), Canadian singer Drey Wright (born 1995), English footballer Duncan Wright (1940–2023), Australian rules footballer Dunham Wright (1842–1942), American politician Dunky Wright (1896–1976), Scottish runner Dusty Wright (born 1957), American musician Dwayne Wright (born 1983), American football player Dwayne Wright (footballer) (born 1989), Caymanian footballer
E
Earl Wright (1948–2013), American singer-songwriter Edgar Wright (born 1974), English film director Edna Wright (1945–2020), American singer Edythe Wright (1916–1965), American singer Elias Wright (1830–1901), American army officer Elissa Wright (born 1946), American politician Elizur Wright (1804–1885), American mathematician and abolitionist Ellen Riley Wright (1859–1904), English composer Elliott Wright (born 1980), British television personality Ellis Wright (1873–1940), English footballer Elmo Wright (born 1949), American football player E. M. Wright (1906–2005), British mathematician Emma Wright (born 1996), Canadian water polo player Emily Wright (born 1980), American songwriter Ephraim M. Wright, American politician Eric Lynn Wright (1964–1995), American rapper-songwriter Erica Abi Wright (born 1971), American singer Erik Olin Wright (1947–2019), American sociologist Ernie Wright (1939–2007), American football player Ernie Wright (footballer) (1912–1965), English footballer Ernest Hunter Wright (1882–1968), American professor Esmond Wright (1915–2003), English historian Esther Clark Wright (1895–1990), Canadian historian Evan Wright (born 1966), American writer
F
Farnsworth Wright (1888–1940), American editor Fearon Wright (born 1978), Jamaican American football player Felix Wright (born 1959), American football player Felton T. Wright (1900–1971), American football coach Ferdinand von Wright (1822–1906), Finnish painter Fielding L. Wright (1895–1956), American politician Finbar Wright (born 1957), Irish singer-songwriter Fiona Wright (born 1983), Australian poet Flonzie Brown Wright (born 1942), American activist Florence May Wright, American poet Fortunatus Wright (1712–1757), British merchant Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), American architect, designer, writer, and educator Frankie Wright (born 1985), American athlete Franz Wright (1953–2015), American poet Frazer Wright (born 1979), Scottish footballer Freda Wright (born 1953), South African politician
G
Gabe Wright (born 1992), American football player Gabriella Wright (born 1982), English actress Gareth Wright (born 1981), Welsh golfer Garth Wright (born 1963), South African rugby union footballer Garland Wright (born 1954), American admiral Gavin Wright (born 1943), American economist and historian Gavin Wright (biochemist) (born 1973), English biochemist Gavin Wright (cricketer) (born 1973), English cricketer Gavyn Wright, British violinist Gayle Wright (born 1951), American politician Gearld Wright (1933–2002), American politician Ged Wright (born 1976), American visual artist Geoff Wright (1930–2011), English footballer Geoff Wright (cricketer) (1929–2003), New Zealand cricketer Geoffrey Wright (born 1959), Australian director