DANIELS

The Daniels Surname: Origin, Development and Historical Record

The family name Daniels belongs to the category of patronymic surnames, denoting descent from an ancestor named Daniel. The given name Daniel originates in Hebrew, where it conveys the theological meaning “God is my judge”. This meaning is rooted in the biblical narrative of the prophet Daniel, a central figure in the Old Testament and a subject of extensive medieval hagiography.

In England the surname Daniels is first documented after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The earliest recorded spelling, Roger Daniel, appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 for the county of Sussex, during the reign of King William I. The name did not exist in England prior to the Conquest, indicating that it was introduced by the Norman settlers, who brought both the personal name and its derived surnames to the British Isles.

During the medieval period the personal name Daniel became particularly popular in Europe, encouraged by the dramatic accounts in the biblical Book of Daniel and the cult of a second‑century Christian martyr and a ninth‑century hermit bearing the same name. Consequently, a variety of surnames evolved from this root, including Daniel, Daniels, Danels and numerous orthographic variants such as Dannell, Dannel and Dennell.

Within the British context the surname Daniels has been associated with the Christian religion and the English language, reflecting its integration into the cultural and linguistic fabric of England. Historical parish records from the seventeenth century record marriages of individuals bearing the name, for example Ann Daniels who married William Furnas at St Katherine by the Tower in November 1644, and Elizabeth Daniels who wed Richard Foster in Putney, London, on 23 July 1644.

In summary, the Daniels surname exemplifies a patronymic formation derived from a Hebrew theophoric name, transmitted to England by the Normans and subsequently entrenched in English genealogical practice. Its enduring prevalence across diverse cultures attests to the lasting influence of biblical naming traditions within British onomastics.

Typical given names associated with the Daniels surname

Male

• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• Stephen

Female

• Ann
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Julie
• Lisa
• Margaret
• Mary
• Michelle
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Daniels in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Daniels are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Daniels

• Paul Daniels - Magician and television performer (1938 to 2016)
• Phil Daniels - Actor
• Anthony Malcolm Daniels - Doctor and writer
• Anthony Daniels - Actor
• Ben Daniels - Actor of stage and screen
• Jeff Daniels - American actor, musician and playwright
• George Daniels - Watchmaker (1926 to 2011)
• Charlie Daniels - Football player
• Maxine Daniels - Jazz singer (1930 to 2003)
• William Daniels - Actor
• Gary Daniels - Actor
• Martin Daniels - Magician entertainer, and television and radio presenter
• Luke Daniels - Football player
• Donervon Daniels - Football player
• Lisa Daniels - Actress (1930 to 2010)
• Billy Daniels - Football player
• Laura Thomas married name Laura Daniels - Bowls player
• Brendon Daniels - Football player
• Gipsy Daniels - Boxer (1903 to 1967)
• Mike Daniels - Rugby union player

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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