Surname Davine - Meaning and Origin

Davine: What does the surname Davine mean?

The surname Davine is of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Daimhín, which translates to "descendant of Daimhín." The name Daimhín itself is derived from the elements 'damh', which means ‘ox’ and 'ín', a diminutive suffix. Thus, the name can be interpreted as "little ox." The surname is primarily found in County Cavan in Ireland. Like many Irish surnames, Davine can vary in spelling, with other forms including Devine, O'Devine, Devane, Dwane, Divine, and Davin, among others. It’s important to note that meanings of surnames can vary largely depending on cultural, regional and historical contexts, so while "little ox" is a direct translation, it might hold other symbolic or metaphorical meanings in the roots of Irish culture.

Davine: Where does the name Davine come from?

The surname Davine is of Celtic origin, traced back to the ancient Gaelic name O'Daimhin, which comes from the word "damh," meaning "ox." This suggests that the ancestors with this surname possibly had a strong relationship with these animals, whether as herdsmen, breeders, or something similar. The surname appeared first in County Londonderry, located in Northern Ireland.

Additionally, the name has variations including Devine, O'Devine, Davin, Devin, Diven, and Divine. Over time, these names have dispersed and are found in various places around the world, particularly in countries where the Irish diaspora settled such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

While the Davine surname can still be found in Ireland today, it is less common than other Irish surnames. In the US, it can be found in small numbers scattered through different states, but again, is not commonly encountered. The name seems to appear slightly more frequently in Australia, though it is still considered an uncommon surname. Overall, the surname Davine is relatively rare in most parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Davine

The surname Davine is of Irish origin, stemming from the Gaelic O'Daimhin, meaning "descendent of the little stag". The name is typically linked with the county of Fermanagh.

Variants and different spellings of the surname Davine can include Davin, Daviney, Davinny, Devine, Devin, Devon, and Devane. It may also be found as O'Devine, O'Devin or O'Davine, particularly in historical contexts, representing the original Irish form. While "Davine" specifically may not be universally common, the "Devine" form of the surname tends to be more widespread. Recognizing these alternative spellings is important because spelling variations were common in records from the past, partially resulting from the translation between Gaelic and English.

One should also note that there can be numerous surnames that sound similar to Davine such as Davin, Davina, Daubney, Devaney and others, which may seem to be related but are actually of different origins. Therefore, it is crucial to verify the actual lineage and origin when tracing genealogical records.

Famous people with the name Davine

The surname Davine is not extremely common among celebrities or famous people. However, there are some notable individuals with this last name in various fields. One of them is Caroline Davine, an advisory partner for the accounting firm PWC Ireland who has made significant contributions in her field. Jo Davine is a known name in the Australian fashion industry, she has a self-titled swimwear brand. In the field of journalism, there's Miranda Devine, an Australian conservative columnist. Erin Devine is an artist, writer, and curator based in Washington D.C. Known for her performance art, she has conducted several live performances across media in the United States and abroad. However, due to the rarity of the surname, there are not many celebrities or highly prominent figures with the last name Davine. It's worth noting that different spellings of a similar-sounding last name might yield more results, like Devine or Divine.

Other surnames

Davin