DAVIS
The Davis Surname: A Brief Academic Overview
The family name Davis originates in Wales and belongs to the patronymic tradition of the British Isles. It is derived from the Welsh personal name Dafydd, a form of the Hebrew David, which translates as “beloved” or “dear”. Consequently, the surname signifies “son or descendant of David”, reflecting a historic connection with the biblical King David and, later, with the popularity of the saintly name of St David, the 6th‑century Bishop of Menevia and patron saint of Wales.
In medieval England the personal name David became widespread among Christians, especially after the reigns of the Scottish monarchs David I (1124‑1153) and David II (1329‑1371). The earliest English record of a bearer of the given name appears in a Lincolnshire document dated 1150. The patronymic form Davis first emerges in the early 14th century; a notable early entry is that of Richard Davys in the Register of the Freemen of the City of York in 1402.
Heraldically, the name is associated with at least twenty distinct coats of arms. The most frequently cited arms display a silver shield bearing a chevron pean, a black lion rampant in base, a chief indented of the same tincture, and a canton ermine.
Prominent individuals bearing the surname include Richard Barrett Davis (1782‑1852), an animal painter to King William IV, and Sir John Francis Davis, chief superintendent of British trade in China, who was created a K.C.B. in 1854. The earliest recorded spelling of the name, John Dauisse, appears in the Cambridgeshire Subsidy Rolls of 1327 during the reign of King Edward III.
Today the surname Davis remains common throughout Wales and the wider English‑speaking world, retaining its original patronymic meaning and its historic ties to both biblical and Welsh cultural traditions.
Typical given names associated with the Davis surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Dafis
- Daive
- Daives
- Daivies
- Daivis
- Daivs
- Dav
- Davas
- Daveis
- Daves
- Davey
- Daveys
- Davi
- Davia
- Davias
- Davice
- Davick
- David
- Davide
- Davids
- Davie
- Davied
- Davies
- Daviey
- Davige
- Daviies
- Davin
- Davine
- Davins
- Davios
- Davise
- Daviss
- Davit
- Davitt
- Davitts
- Davos
- Davues
- Davy
- Davye
- Davyes
- Davys
- Deaves
- Deavies
- Deavis
- Deavs
- Deavy
- Defis
- Deives
- Deves
- Devey
- Devi
- Devie
- Devies
- Devis
- Devise
- Devisse
- Devys
- Duffus
- Tuffs
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Davis 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 Davis are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Digestive.
There are approximately 105,187 people named Davis in the UK. That makes it the 51st most common surname in Britain. Around 1,615 in a million people in Britain are named Davis.
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 Davis
- Kaya Rose Scodelario-Davis - Actress
- Warwick Davis - Actor and television presenter
- Lucy Davis - Actor of The Office and Shaun of the Dead
- Geena Davis - American actress
- Stephanie Davis - Actress
- David Davis - Conservative Party politician and former businessman
- Steve Davis - Snooker player
- Julia Davis - Actress
- Jefferson Davis - President of the Confederate States (1808 to 1889)
- Viola Davis - American actress
- Mackenzie Davis - Canadian film, television and stage actress
- Annabelle Davis - Actress
- Aaron Davis - Rapper
- Phil Davis - Actor and film director
- Candy Davis - Actress
- Anthony Davis - American basketball player
- Jamelia Niela Davis - Singer-songwriter
- Steven Davis - Northern Irish football player
- Miles Davis - American jazz musician (1926 to 1991)
- Evan Davis - Economist, journalist and presenter
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.