DAVISSON
Davisson is an English surname that derives from a patronymic construction. It is formed from the personal name David, a name of Hebrew origin meaning beloved or friend, combined with the suffix -son which denotes “son of”. Consequently the surname literally signifies “son of David” and is traditionally interpreted as “son of the beloved”.
The use of Davisson can be traced back to medieval England, where it was employed to identify descendants or relatives of an individual bearing the given name David. Early documentary evidence includes the names Thomas Davit of Norfolk in 1275, Robert David of Leicestershire in 1276 and John Davisse of Cambridgeshire in 1327. In the Danelaw region of Lincolnshire a cleric named David is recorded in documents dated 1150, representing one of the earliest English bearers of the personal name.
Over the centuries the spelling of the surname has varied, producing forms such as Davids, Davidge, Davag, Davis, Dewis and Davys. In the modern tongue the patronymic variants range from Davids, Davidge, Davag and Davis(e)s to Davys, Davysson and Davis(s)on. In England headstones and parish registers record Christening entries for individuals such as Charles Davage in 1698 at St. Michael Bassishaw, London, and William Davage in 1720 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, indicating the persistence of the name through the early modern period.
A heraldic description attached to the family records describes the coat of arms as a red shield bearing three silver crosses pattee on a silver fesse wavy, set between three silver lions passant. The earliest documented marriage involving the surname is that of Nicholas Davidge on 8 May 1586 to Dorothie Evans at St. James, Clerkenwell, London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In contemporary times the surname Davisson remains most common in England, though it has spread to other English‑speaking countries through migration. Variants such as Davidson and Davison are also widespread, and the name continues to be recognised for its historical roots and patronymic construction.
Typical given names associated with the Davisson surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- Richard
Female
- Pamela
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 Davisson in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 15 people named Davisson in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Fewer than one in a million people in Britain are named Davisson.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
