Dawson Family History

Dawson Surname Meaning

English: patronymic meaning ‘son of Dawe’ from the Middle English personal name Daw(e) (see Daw 1 and ) which is sometimes a pet form of David (see 2 below) but more generally of Rauf or Raw (i.e. Ralph) of which Daw(e) is a rhyming form.

Alternatively the patronymic could mean ‘son of Daud(e)’ another Middle English pet form of Ralph evidently used interchangeably with Dawe. Dawson is one of the most numerous patronymics.

Scottish: patronymic ‘son of Dawe’. In Scotland Dawe is a diminutive of David (compare 1 above).

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

Similar surnames: Danson, Dowson, Pawson, Lawson, Rawson, Daws, Watson, Davison, Hanson, Dobson

1M	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
112K	Military Records
110K	Immigration Records
963K	Census and Voter Lists
1M	Member Trees

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Where is the Dawson family from?

You can see how Dawson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dawson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dawson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 7,180 Dawson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 24% of all the recorded Dawson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Dawson families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dawson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Dawson

What did your Dawson 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 Dawson. 6% of Dawson men worked as a General labourer and 65% of Dawson women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dawson were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Dawson

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.

General labourer

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Bricklayer

Unpaid domestic duties

65%

Unpaid domestic

Private means

Incapacitated

What Dawson family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 963K census records available for the last name Dawson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dawson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dawson

Passenger List

There are 110K immigration records available for the last name Dawson. 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 Dawson immigration records

Military Records

There are 112K military records available for the last name Dawson. For the veterans among your Dawson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dawson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dawson family history

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What is the average Dawson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dawson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Dawson in 1941 was 27, and 73 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dawson family tree

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Dawson Surname Meaning

Alternatively the patronymic could mean ‘son of Daud(e)’ another Middle English pet form of Ralph evidently used interchangeably with Dawe. Dawson is one of the most numerous patronymics.

Scottish: patronymic ‘son of Dawe’. In Scotland Dawe is a diminutive of David (compare 1 above).

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

Where is the Dawson family from?

What did your Dawson ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

Builders labourer

Incapacitated

Bricklayer

Unpaid domestic duties

65%

Unpaid domestic

Private means

Incapacitated

What Dawson family records will you find?

What is the average Dawson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dawson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Dawson in 1941 was 27, and 73 in 2004.

Dawson Family History

Dawson Surname Meaning

4 million record(s) for Dawson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Dawson family from?

What did your Dawson ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Dawson family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Dawson family history

What is the average Dawson lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dawson family tree

Search for another surname

Dawson Surname Meaning

4 million record(s) for Dawson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Dawson family from?

What did your Dawson ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Dawson family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Dawson family history

What is the average Dawson lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dawson family tree

Search for another surname