NORFOLK SURNAMES: D

DAWSON (DOWSON):
This is a patronymic name from the surname Daw – which was sometimes pronounced Dow, depending on the locality. It has been claimed that it is a pet form of the name David but as a name it is more likely derived from the same source as the daw in jackdaw.This was an old name for a simpleton or silly person. The bird was named because of the ‘tchak’ sound it makes and because of its silly behaviour. It could also be used for a person who acts the fool (but is not).
In the IGI for Norfolk the name occurs 4200 times and the earliest reference was in 1549. In the 1881 census for Norwich the name crops up 876 times.

SURNAME DIRECTORY: A B C D E F G H I J K N P R S T

Click the letter to see some examples of surnames, their meanings and distribution in Norfolk.