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Davison Family History

Davison Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: patronymic (‘David's son’) from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Davy, the common vernacular form of David. The high frequency of Davison in Northumberland and Durham where it occasionally alternates with Davidson perhaps reflects influence from Scottish migration in the 18th and 19th centuries.

See also Davey.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Davison family from?

You can see how Davison families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Davison family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Davison families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,823 Davison families living in Durham. This was about 33% of all the recorded Davison's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Davison families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Davison surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Davison ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Davison. 9% of Davison men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Davison women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Davison were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Davison | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Davison family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 328,000 census records available for the last name Davison. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Davison census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Davison

Passenger Lists

There are 43,000 immigration records available for the last name Davison. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Davison immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 38,000 military records available for the last name Davison. For the veterans among your Davison ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Davison military records

You've only scratched the surface of Davison family history

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What is the average Davison lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Davison life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Davison in 1941 was 53, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Davison

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Davison ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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