Davis (surname)
| Pronunciation | Davies, Davison |
|---|---|
| Frequency comparisons:[1] | |
Davis is a surname of English and Welsh origin. As an English surname it may be a corruption of Davy or a reference to King David in the Old Testament. As a Welsh surname may be a corruption of Dyfed, related to Irish colonists who occupied an area of southwest Wales in the late third century and established a dynasty there which lasted five centuries. Dyfed is recorded as a surname as late as the twelfth century, e.g. Gwynfard Dyfed, born 1175. Dafydd (generally translated into English as David) appears as a given name in the thirteenth century, e.g. Dafydd ap Gruffydd (1238–1283), Prince of Wales, and Dafydd ab Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–1497), a Welsh poet. Alternatively, Davis may be a patronymic surname (son of David).[2]
Davis is the 45th most common surname in England and 68th most common in Wales.
References
- ^ a b c "Davis Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2014
- ^ A dictionary of Irish surnames: with special American instances; Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell, London. H. Frowde. 1901
- ^ "Diffusion of surname DAVIS". Surname Map United Kingdom. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ United States Census Bureau (2000). Retrieved 2008-07-04
- ^ "Last name:Davies". SurnameDB. Retrieved 28 April 2021.