Английский Этимологический словарь - wake (v.)

- "rouse from sleep," O.E. wacan "to become awake," wacian "to be or remain awake," both related to wжccan "be awake" (see watch) and weccan "to cause to wake, rouse from sleep," all from P.Gmc. *wak-, from PIE *wog-/*weg- "be active." Meaning "sitting up at night with a corpse" is late M.E., but the custom largely survived as an Irish activity. The noun is from O.E. -wacu (as in nihtwacu "night watch"), related to watch; and partly from O.N. vaka "vigil, eve before a feast," related to vaka "be awake." Wakeman, which survives as a surname, was M.E. for "watchman." Phrase wake-up call is from 1970s.