An English surname from Old English words ‘wryhta’ or ‘wyrhta.‘ The words refer to a worker or shaper of wood. The term ’wright’ was placed with other words for an occupation, like ’shipwright’ meaning one who builds ships. It can be combined also to make wheelwright and playwright. In the Gaelic of Scotland, ‘Mac an t-Saoir’ means Son of the Wright or Son of the Carpenter.

Another form of the Wright surname is that of Cartwright and Wainwright.

In the United States the Wright surname is in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, Texas and California primarily. In Yorkshire and Lancashire counties of England the Wright name is very popular. In Australia and Canada are large populations of the Wright surname.

Famous: Ed Wright (professional baseball player), James Wright (of Silly Putty), John Lloyd Wright (architect and designer Lincoln logs), Orville and Wilbur Wright (airplane inventors), Thomas Wright (18thcentury English astronomer and mathematician), Janet Wright (Canadian actress), Harold Bell Wright (author) and Frank Lloyd Wright (architect).