Dawson Surname

2,588th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 214,861 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
British Virgin Islands

Dawson Surname Definition:

Magota Daudwyfe, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Read More About This Surname

Dawson Surname Distribution Map

By incidenceBy frequencyBy rank
Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ARank (high to low)Rank (low to high)
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States109,6321:3,306341
England46,5851:1,196128
Australia20,2151:1,335139
Canada12,7571:2,888355
Scotland3,8541:1,389241
New Zealand3,4701:1,305140
South Africa3,2881:16,4772,072
Tanzania2,8891:18,3252,337
Ireland1,6401:2,871529
Jamaica1,4341:2,001328
Northern Ireland1,3311:1,386292
Wales1,0081:3,070332
Belize6861:51898
Thailand6301:112,12416,469
India4361:1,759,32462,948
Saudi Arabia3581:86,18912,374
Spain2991:156,36111,418
British Virgin Islands2391:13221
Germany2371:339,68533,336
Guyana1981:3,850694
France1761:377,40256,030
Barbados1631:1,763342
Malaysia1571:187,86111,202
Isle of Man1501:57261
Netherlands1481:114,10318,152
Chile1361:129,5334,587
Singapore1331:41,4111,573
Panama1291:30,3281,771
Suriname1281:4,317926
Portugal1131:92,1974,545
Trinidad and Tobago1071:12,7471,692
Argentina1051:407,08031,114
Zimbabwe1001:154,38219,513
Sweden991:99,4627,215
United States Virgin Islands991:1,115171
Switzerland951:86,4529,661
Nigeria891:1,990,36870,088
Dominican Republic851:122,7405,063
Ghana771:350,91811,416
China701:19,533,1651,095
Philippines681:1,488,797104,347
Peru651:488,98714,013
Iraq631:555,8998,855
Italy611:1,002,56969,817
Brazil571:3,755,690104,031
Greece561:197,85331,389
Cyprus481:18,4352,076
Denmark471:120,10011,018
Bermuda461:1,419226
Venezuela441:686,45611,744
Jersey421:2,362396
Uruguay381:90,3099,090
Hong Kong371:198,2562,987
Qatar311:76,0647,685
Colombia301:1,592,46911,125
Guernsey291:2,222539
Norway281:183,65321,594
Nicaragua271:223,0032,652
Malta241:17,9281,021
Sri Lanka241:867,0239,131
Cayman Islands231:2,778359
Mexico221:5,642,10030,806
Liberia201:220,42714,169
Costa Rica181:265,5592,987
El Salvador181:352,4382,576
Botswana171:128,64318,229
Israel141:611,26042,949
Oman141:263,4264,299
United Arab Emirates141:654,44824,061
Indonesia121:11,020,766390,383
Belgium111:1,045,14978,166
Czechia111:966,67976,885
Japan111:11,622,20845,659
Kenya111:4,198,17341,178
Papua New Guinea111:741,24783,447
Austria101:851,54467,454
Gibraltar101:3,395741
Vietnam101:9,264,6052,710
Afghanistan91:3,572,57620,130
Aruba91:11,4971,511
Morocco91:3,830,67854,497
South Korea91:5,693,362993
Guam81:20,0153,029
Jordan81:1,105,30516,405
Pakistan81:22,330,48677,733
Maldives71:57,7392,642
Taiwan71:3,349,24920,155
Antigua and Barbuda61:16,5281,436
Poland61:6,334,792156,558
Benin51:2,067,12068,069
Croatia51:845,72148,179
Egypt51:18,387,15162,330
Monaco51:7,4131,114
Algeria41:9,657,88864,782
Bahrain41:337,1526,054
Finland41:1,374,17650,379
Kuwait41:950,17418,811
Malawi41:4,279,77724,060
Namibia41:602,35012,421
Swaziland41:324,550996
Yemen31:8,808,43135,773
Angola21:13,494,60711,780
Bangladesh21:79,678,38625,993
Cameroon21:10,384,534165,830
Ecuador21:7,952,92334,269
Honduras21:4,408,2217,709
Ivory Coast21:11,535,61661,806
Luxembourg21:290,2718,611
Myanmar21:25,968,9922,110
Puerto Rico21:1,775,0706,602
Senegal21:7,289,6718,117
Turkey21:38,910,711171,901
Andorra11:83,8382,381
Anguilla11:13,436792
Armenia11:2,930,18022,770
Bahamas11:391,7512,737
Bolivia11:10,616,43417,077
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Bulgaria11:6,978,90586,260
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Chad11:13,592,19913,092
Falkland Islands11:3,132317
Fiji11:894,3914,568
Georgia11:3,745,54547,852
Grenada11:108,5351,793
Haiti11:10,683,90724,607
Hungary11:9,816,27773,288
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Lithuania11:3,034,58847,401
Mauritius11:1,293,41716,552
Mongolia11:2,825,28917,010
Mozambique11:27,261,5697,432
New Caledonia11:276,22310,363
Romania11:20,077,87089,414
Rwanda11:11,364,9785,947
Saint Kitts and Nevis11:55,1991,294
Serbia11:7,144,94838,459
Slovakia11:5,336,450140,422
Slovenia11:2,487,67531,128
Solomon Islands11:580,02922,243
Togo11:7,247,76812,049
Tunisia11:610,62630,336
Turks and Caicos Islands11:34,329862
Uganda11:39,039,279258,887
Vanuatu11:263,2762,086
Zambia11:15,849,92253,989
Show All Nations
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland1,8261:2,426457
Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ARank (high to low)Rank (low to high)
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England29,7001:82181
Scotland3,1131:1,202209
Wales1451:10,817658
Isle of Man761:714122
Guernsey201:1,633288
Jersey151:3,459578
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States19,0361:2,638288

Dawson (8,210) may also be a first name.

Dawson Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of David,' from the nick. Daw or Dow; v. Daw. The earlier nick, would seem to have been Daud, then Daw or Dow. The following are entered together, and are evidently members of one family:

Magota Daudwyfe, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Matilda Daudoghter, 1379: ibid.

Again, we find four entries in close conjunction:

Beatrix Daudewyf, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Dauson, 1379: ibid.

Robertus Dauson, 1379: ibid.

Johanna Dowedoghter, 1370: ibid.

Osbarn Daweson, 1379: ibid.

Wallerus Daweson, 1379: ibid.

In the same village occur, among a few inhabitants:

Robertas Doweson, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Willelmus Daweson, 1379: ibid.

— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From Dawe, diminutive of David + son. John Daweson was a merchant in the service of Archambaud, earl of Douglas in 1405 (Bain, IV, 697). John Dawson is recorded in Kethyk in 1466 (Cupar-Angus,. I, p. 146), and James Dawson was godson of King James IV (ALHT. I). Duncan Dalsoun (compare the l in Chalmers) was coalman to the king in 1531 (ER., XVI, p. 134), Robert Dausoun was tenant of Westirrossy, Uchtermukty in 1531, and John Dawson and Nicholas Dauson were tenants in Uchtermukty in the same year (ibid., p. 494). David Dason, monk of Beauly, 1541, is Dauid Dauisone in 1568, and Dauid Dauson in 1571 (Beauly, p. 220,256, 268). Jasper Dason and Andrew Dasone appear in Melrose in 1607 and 1699 (RRM., I, p. 40; III, p. 118), Thomas Dasone was bailie of the burgh of Anstruther Wester in 1671 (Inquis., 5415), and Joannes Dasone in Findhorne, 1677 (Retours, Elgin, 188). Dawsone 1627. Dawsons were once numerous in Badenoch. compare Deasson.

— The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

Daw’s Son: v. Daw.

— Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

Bibl; MIF 166, 318

— A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

“Son of David” in Old English.

— South African Surnames (1965) by Eric Rosenthal

(English) The son of Daw, a pet form of David (beloved).

— Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

See David. The late earl of Portarlington averred that it ought to be D'Ossoune! Arthur says there is a town in Normandy called Ossone, but the Itin. Norm, does not give it.

— Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Said to be a corruption of the Nor. French D'Ossonc, from the town of Ossone, in Normandy. Camden, however, thinks it a contraction of Davison, the son of David, which is the more probable derivation.

— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

Altered from Dalston. The families of this name in York and Lancaster bear the three daws or martlets of Dalston. From them descend the Earls of Portarlington and Dartrey.

— The Norman People (1874)

Dawson. —A north of England name, mostly found in Cumberland and Westmoreland, Durham, West Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cheshire, and extending into central Scotland; Daw or Dawe is confined to the west of England.

— Homes of Family Names in Great Britain (1890) by Henry Brougham Guppy

User-submitted Reference

The meaning of this surname is 'son of david'.

- andreas_

The surname Dawson means 'son of David'.

- dinn315
DNA test information
Display Statistics on:

Dawson Demographics

Dawson Religious Adherence
in Ireland

Sample size: 1,813 (1901)

Religious Adherence
in Ireland

View the most religious surnames in Ireland

Dawson Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Dawson Come From? nationality or country of origin

Dawson (Marathi: डौसन) is found in The United States more than any other country/territory. It may also occur in the variant forms:. For other possible spellings of Dawson click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Dawson? popularity and diffusion

The surname is the 2,588th most numerous surname world-wide, borne by around 1 in 33,917 people. Dawson occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 52 percent of Dawson live; 50 percent live in North America and 50 percent live in Anglo-North America. It is also the 69,875th most prevalent first name throughout the world, borne by 8,210 people.

The last name Dawson is most widely held in The United States, where it is carried by 109,632 people, or 1 in 3,306. In The United States Dawson is most common in: Texas, where 9 percent live, Georgia, where 6 percent live and Florida, where 5 percent live. Excluding The United States this last name occurs in 146 countries. It is also found in England, where 22 percent live and Australia, where 9 percent live.

Dawson Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of Dawson has changed over time. In The United States the number of people who held the Dawson surname rose 576 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it rose 157 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it rose 124 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it fell 10 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it rose 695 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Dawson Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those holding the last name is principally Catholic (40%) in Ireland.

In The United States those bearing the Dawson surname are 11.58% more likely to be registered Republicans than The US average, with 58.35% registered to vote for the political party.

The amount Dawson earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 18.86% less than the national average, earning 280,799 kr per year; in Peru they earn 478.8% more than the national average, earning S/. 112,201 per year; in South Africa they earn 49.04% more than the national average, earning R 354,180 per year; in Colombia they earn 2.99% less than the national average, earning $22,024,700 COP per year; in United States they earn 3.56% less than the national average, earning $41,611 USD per year and in Canada they earn 4.9% more than the national average, earning $52,116 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

Incidence (high to low)Incidence (low to high)Alphabetic A-ZAlphabetic Z-ASimilarity (high to low)Similarity (low to high)Prevalent jurisdiction A-ZPrevalent jurisdiction Z-A
SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Dawsson923/
Hdawson922/
Daawson922/
D'Awson921/
Dauwson921/
Daswson921/
Dawwson921/
Dawsosn921/
Dawsond921/
Dawsoen921/
D'Dawson861/
Dowson835,880/
Dabson83391/
Davson83250/
Dawsen8344/
Dawsan8336/
Dawsom8323/
Dawsun832/
Dawsonová801/
Davsson778/
Davsion777/
Daubson773/
Daphson772/
Dowsson772/
Dowsong771/
Dayvson771/
Daffson771/
Daivson771/
Dawsian771/
Dobson6768,203/
Dowsen6750/
Dowsan677/
Dovson677/
Dowsom674/
Dofson673/
Dabsan672/
Davsan672/
Davsom672/
Dafsen671/
Davzon671/
Dowxon671/
Dowzon671/
Show All Similar Surnames

Dawson Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Dawson in the Marathi language
डौसनdausana-

Search for Another Surname

The name statistics are still in development, sign up for information on more maps and data

By signing up to the mailing list you will only receive emails specifically about name reference on Forebears and your information will not be distributed to 3rd parties.

Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Dawson
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis