Surname Davids - Meaning and Origin
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Davids: What does the surname Davids mean?
The last name Davids is a patronymic last name, meaning it originated as a derivative of the first name of a father or other ancestor. In this case, it is derived from the personal name David, which is of Hebrew origin and means “beloved”. This personal name was common among early Christians because of its association with King David, a figure in the Old Testament.
The surname Davids then became a hereditary surname carried by the younger generations from the same original line. During the Middle Ages, when it was popular to name children after saints and biblical figures, this surname became increasingly common and spread throughout Europe. It is now found in many countries and languages, although the spelling may vary. In some cases, it has also been anglicized as “Davidson”.
In terms of its modern usage, the surname Davids is primarily a given name used by families who wish to honor the family line or emphasize their ancestry. Persons with this last name may also have an interest in Jewish heritage or spiritual matters due to the religious connotations of the name. It may also signify certain personal qualities, such as loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness.
Order DNA origin analysisDavids: Where does the name Davids come from?
The surname Davids is most commonly found today in countries with a Dutch or Flemish background, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of Germany. It is also commonly found in migration areas where Dutch migrants settled, such as the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Latin America. Within the United States, Davids is more commonly found in large cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The origin of the name Davids is Dutch and Flemish, derived from the given name David, which itself is derived from the Hebrew 'Dawid' meaning 'beloved'. This name was popular across Europe and North America in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly due to its usage in the Bible. It is likely that the various spellings of this name in countries with different alphabets have contributed to the many variations of this surname.
This surname is also found among the Ashkenazi Jews. However, the original form of the name amongst Ashkenazi Jews is Davidovich, deriving from the Russian patronymic form for David. This surname was used in many countries of the former Soviet Bloc, such as Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, and is still common in these areas.
Generally speaking, the surname Davids is likely to have entered these different countries through different son migrant lines. It is clear that the surname Davids is generally most associated with origins from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, however, its frequency in other areas is too high for one location to be considered the primary source.
Variations of the surname Davids
Davids is an English patronymic surname derived from the first name David, which itself is a Hebrew name meaning "beloved". It was popularized in England by the Norman Conquest of 1066 when it was adopted as the name of the second king of Israel, the renowned biblical King David.
Variant spellings of the surname Davids include David, Davies, Davis, Davey, Davy, Dawes, Davees, Davidsen and Davidsohn.
The surname has been variously spelt Davies and Davis, both of which can be traced back to the times of Henry VIII. Davies may represent a patronymic of David typically being an area of Wales where Welsh was spoken. Davis would generally be a patronymic meaning ‘son of David’ and is likely to have been Anglo-Norman, and popular in the County of Cheshire and in the Welsh counties of Breconshire and Glamorgan.
The surname Davey is an old French form of David, and Davees is thought to have come from 'Dall and Davees', an English medieval form of Davis and is recorded from the year 1259.
The Davidsen and Davidsohn variants are both German forms of the surname. Davidsen is a surname from the Netherlands as well as from Denmark and Norway.
The surname Dawes is also connected with the first name David. This was likely a nickname derived from ‘daw’, the old English word for a jackdaw, a crow. Thus ‘Dawes’ would mean ‘Son of Daw’, and the name is thought to have originated in the North of England.
In the United States, Davids is the 40th most common surname, with one in every thousand people called Davids. Similarly, in Scotland one in every five thousand people is called Davids.
Famous people with the name Davids
- Victoria Beckham (née Adams): Singer, former Spice Girl, fashion designer, WAG (wives and girlfriends of professional athletes), and mother.
- Shaun Cummings: English football player.
- Charlotte David: French actress.
- Klaas Jan Huntelaar: Dutch footballer.
- Ryan David: Canadian professional ice hockey player.
- Jim Davids: American professional golfer, member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
- Daniel Davids: Dutch cinematographer.
- Joshua David: American documentary filmmaker and producer.
- Linnéa Davids: Swedish singer-songwriter and musician.
- Jay Davids: South African-born, British-raised contemporary figurative painter.
- Eric Davids: upcoming American actor.
- Augusto Davids: Brazilian-born footballer who has represented Netherlands.
- Ella Davids: Dutch hip hop artist and rapper.
- David Alexander Davids: German footballer and sports manager.
- Sanjay Davids: South African rapper.
- Barry Davids: Dutch football player.
- Bryan Davids: American tech writer.
- Sydelle Noel: American actress.
- Heidi Davids: German film actress.
- Nic Davids: South African cricketer.