Surname Dawe - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
Dawe: What does the surname Dawe mean?
Dawe is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the personal name David. The name David, a popular medieval name, is Hebrew in origin and means "beloved". In the Middle Ages, it was a common practice to create a surname from a personal name by adding the suffix '-s' to the end, hence Dawe was formed. Sometimes it was spelled as "Davies" or "Davis". The name is primarily found in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon in the South West England thus showing its strong ties with this region. The Dawe surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a record broad and extensive survey of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. Over the centuries, the name has evolved in spelling and can be found in various records as Deue, Dewe, Deagh, Dowe, Doe, and many more. Today, it continues to be a common surname in English-speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisDawe: Where does the name Dawe come from?
The surname Dawe has its origins from the old English pre 7th-century given name "Daw," which is thought to be a diminutive form of David. It could also have evolved from "Daw," a nickname for someone who was considered gentle and harmless, a trait likened to a dove.
Most common in England during its early inception, the surname Dawe permeated to other parts of the British Isles, with strong presence recorded in Devon. It made its way into North America as people migrated, and it is prevalent there today, especially in Canada.
There are also some instances of the name in Australia and New Zealand due to British colonization during the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite this dispersion, the surname is not especially common globally and its highest concentration still remains in the United Kingdom.
Like many surnames, the name Dawe has a unique spelling variant depending on location, which includes Daws, Dawes, and Dowe. Different versions of the surname can indicate more about an individual’s familial history and regional lineage.
Variations of the surname Dawe
The surname Dawe has several possible spelling variations that have emerged over time. The most common variations include Daw, Daws, Dawes, Dauwe, Dawe's, Dawz, and occasionally Daye or Daue. Other derivatives might include the Welsh variant Deawe or the Cornish version Dawo. These differences can often be attributed to regional pronunciation and clerical recording errors.
The surname Dawe can also be linked to other surnames of the same or similar origin. These include Davidson, Dawson, Dawkins, and D'awe. All of these surnames share a connection through the first element 'Daw,' which is believed to a diminutive of the name David meaning ‘beloved.’
It is important to remember that surnames can have a multitude of sources influencing their formation and evolution, making it difficult to definitively link all potential variants. However, these are some of the most common variants and surnames of similar origin for Dawe.
Famous people with the name Dawe
- Bruce Dawe: An influential Australian post-war poet, popularly known for his poems about Australian life.
- Christopher Dawe: A Bahamian cricketer who represented his country in the tournament 1998 Commonwealth Games.
- Gary Dawe: An English former rugby league footballer, who played in the 1990s and 2000s.
- Grenville Dawe: A former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
- Richard Dawe: An English professor emeritus of classics noted for his translation of the works of Greek playwright Euripides.
- Rob Dawe: A former rugby union player from New Zealand, who played for All Blacks.
- Ryan Dawe: A former professional ice hockey defenceman from Canada.
- Simon Dawe: A former professional footballer from England.
- Kevin Dawe: An English musician, musicologist, and Professor of the Music and Science of Music at University of Kent.
- Elsie Jeanette Oxenham: (used Dawe as her pseudonym) was an English girls' club leader and author, popular for the Abbey Series.
- Greg Dawe: An Australian rules footballer.