Dawson Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Dawson last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Dawson last name
Meaning of the Dawson last name: son of Daw (David). Dawson means son of Daw, a medieval short form of David. It is common in northern England and Scotland. A curious detail: Daw was also an old word for a jackdaw, and some early bearers may have carried the name as a nickname.
Arms associated with the Dawson name
In medieval England colours carried meaning, with blue for loyalty and red for courage, and the Dawson name belongs to that tradition.
Get your full Dawson family history
This is only a glimpse of the Dawson story. The full Dawson history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Dawson coat of arms. Get the full Dawson report.
Dawson name FAQ
What does the Dawson name mean?
Son of Daw (David). Common variants include Dawes, Davison, Dowson.
Where does the Dawson surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Dawson coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Dawson coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.