Davis (surname)

Davis
Pronunciation /ˈdeɪvɪs/ DAY-vis
Origin
Region of origin Wales
Meaning "Son of David"
Other names
Variant(s) Davies, David, Davison
Footnotes: Frequency Comparisons:[1]

Davis, as a Welsh surname, may be a corruption of Dyfed, itself a corruption of Dési, related to colonists from southeastern Ireland who occupied the old tribal area of the Demetae in southwest Wales in the late third century AD. They established a dynasty there which lasted five centuries[2]. Dyfed is recorded as a surname as late as the 12th century for e.g. Gwynfard Dyfed, born in 1175. 'Dafydd' appears as a given name in the 13th Century, e.g. Dafydd ap Gruffydd (1238–1283), Prince of Wales, and Dafydd ab Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–97), Welsh poet. The given name 'Dafydd' is generally translated into English as 'David'. Davis may alternatively be a patronymic surname originating in Wales that means "son of David".[3]It is the 45th most common surname in England and 68th most common in Wales.[1] According to the 2000 United States Census survey, 'Davis' was the 7th most frequently reported surname, accounting for 0.48% of the population, preceding Garcia and following Miller in its frequency.[4] It continues as the 7th most common surname in the United States in 2014.[1] It is also recorded in the spellings of Davies, Davie, Dafis, Dafys and several others.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Davis Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2014
  2. ↑ 'The Celts', TGE Powell, Thames & Hudson, 1958
  3. ↑ A dictionary of Irish surnames: with special American instances. ; Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell,. London. H. Frowde. 1901
  4. ↑ United States Census Bureau (2000). Retrieved on 2008-07-04
  5. ↑ "Surname Database: Davies Last Name Origin".
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