SURNAMES BEGINNING WITH "D"

[Dale], [Daley], [Dalton], [Daniels], [Darcy], [Darrow], [Davenport], [Davies], [Dawkins], [Dawson], [Dean], [Delaney]. [Dempsey], [Dempster], [Derham], [Derwen], [Devereaux], [Deverell], [Devine], [Devlin], [Dewhurst], [Dewson], [Dexter], [Dicks], [Dillon], [Doherty], [Dolan], [Don], [Donahue], [Donaldson], [Donnelly], [Donovan], [Doughty], [Douglas], [Dowd], [Downing], [Doyle], [Drake], [Draper], [Drew], [Driscoll], [Driver], [Drummond], [Drury], [Duckworth], [Duff], [Duke], [Dunbar], [Duncan], [Dunne], [Dutton], [Dwyer], [Dyer], [Dykes], [Dylan]

DALE - The family name is thought to have originated from the medieval word "Doel" which meant "of the valley" and which itself was thought to have come from the Norse word "Dair" or "Dalur" and also gave us the less common word "Dell"

DALEY - This typically Irish family surname is said to originate from the Gaelic name "Dallagh", which identifies someone who calls people together.

DALTON - As with the DALE surname above, the prefix is thought to have originated from the medieval word "Doel" denoting "of the valley", whilst the "tun" suffix indicated a settlement.

DANIELS - Thought to derive from the Biblical Saint's name and probably brought to Britain in the 6th century with Christian missionaries. In Hebrew, the first name Daniel means "God is my Judge". The additional "s" reflects the common association between father and son Daniel's son = Daniels & Danielson. The Welsh have their own variation Deiniol

DARCY - The English surname is thought to have its roots with the Norman invaders of William the First and relates to the town of Arcy in France. This French influence was also carried across the Irish Sea by the Normans and introduced into Eire.

DARROW - The family name is said to have its foundations in the Gaelic word "Darach" which was thought to mean or identify an "oak tree".

DAVENPORT - Thought to have an association with the River Dane in Cheshire and attached itself to a settlement which lay along its banks, as well as a number of families who lived there.

DAVIES - Although commonly associated with the principality of Wales and its extensive Celtic history, the related surnames Davies, Davis, Davidson, etc are in fact thought to have been derived from the influence of the early Christian church which arrived in Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries. Although St David is the patron saint of Wales, the truer Welsh versions are Dewi or more commonly Dafydd. It is also more likely that the surname Davidson is the more common use of the name, with Davies and Davis representing later contracted versions of this form. 

DAWKINS - The suffix "kin" in the surname is suggested to derive from "kinship" denoting some form of relationship between generations, although it may simply indicate the name attached to a young male relative. The "Daw" is suggested to be an informal, but common, variation of the first name David.

DAWSON - As above, with the "son" suffix denoting the relationship between father and son.

DEAN - An early post or office which was associated with a Church, Abbey etc and which has attached itself to the holder of the position. The Roman title for the post was Matriculanius. However, the name might easily have its foundations in the early English word "Denu" meaning a small valley.

DELANEY - Generally regarded as an Irish family name, its foundation is thought to be the Gaelic name "Dubhshlaine", which is comprised of the prefix "Dubh" meaning "Black" or "Dark" and the suffix "Shlaine" perhaps indicating a river of that name.

DEMPSEY - An Irish family name which is thought to originate from the Gaelic name "Diomasach" which was said to mean "proud".

DEMPSTER - A possible origin for the modern name is the occupational title for a Judge, which was said to be a regional term that attached itself to the individual employed in that particular role.

DERHAM - A town or settlement called Derham was recorded from the 6th Century

DERWEN - Thought to relate to the Oak Tree

DEVEREAUX - Originating from the French town of Evreux in Normandy, the name D'Evreux came to Britain with the forces of William the Conqueror and has been anglicized to its present form.

DEVERELL - Thought to relate to the riverbank

DEVINE - An Irish family name which is thought to originate from the Gaelic name "Daimhin", which was said to mean "poet" or "bard".

DEVLIN - This is thought to be an anglicised version of the Irish name "Duibhlinn", a Gaelic name which was thought to indicate someone who was "black", "dark" or "swarthy", containing the prefix "Dubh" which meant the same.

DEWHURST - The family name is said to derive from a particular geographical location, with the "hurst" suffix originating from the early word "hyrst" which meant a wooded hill or mountain slope

DEWSON - Possibly derived from the name Dewi, the Welsh version of David, the patron saint of that principality and a title which would have attached itself to Dewi's son.

DEXTER - This is thought to originate from an occupational title, describing a "dyer" who was employed within the early fabrics industry.

DICKENSON - See below: This family name might derive from the German word "Dick" denoting a fat person or equally might stem from a shortening of the first name Richard. The "son" suffix would simply reflect the relationship of father and son.

DICKS - Thought to derive from the German word "Dick" meaning a "Fat Person". Alternatively, it might simply reflect a shortened version of the Christian name Richard, as does the name shown above.

DILLON - Thought to be a variation of "Dillan" and meaning "beloved" in Welsh

DOHERTY - A peculiarly Irish/Gaelic family name which is thought to derive from the early first name "Dochartaigh" which is said to mean unfortunate or unlucky.

DOLAN - An Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic first name "Dobhallen", which contains a variant of the prefix "Dubh" indicating something or someone that is "black", "dark" or "swarthy". The literal meaning of the original Gaelic name is thought to be "dark and defiant".

DON - The name "Don" is generally synonymous with rivers and is thought to have its early roots in the name for a Celtic Goddess.

DONAHUE - Particularly associated with Ireland, the family name is thought to derive from the early Irish/Gaelic name "Donnchadh" which is itself comprised of "Donn" meaning brown and "Cath" referring to war or battle.

DONALDSON - The family name is generally associated with Scotland and reflects the common practice of identifying the son with his father ie: "Donald's son" = Donaldson. Gaelic in origin, in its earliest form it was spelled as "Domhnall" and indicated a mighty ruler.

DONNELLY - An Irish family name, it is said to derive from the Gaelic name "Donnghaile" which was thought to indicate a "brown featured and valiant" person.

DONOVAN - An Irish family name which is thought to originate from "Donnabhain" a Gaelic name for someone who was "dark and/or swarthy".

DOUGHTY - The family name has developed from a personal description of a "doughty" man, a person who was sturdy, reliable and strong.

DOUGLAS - Thought to have been derived from the earlier Viking/Celtic words "Dubh" and "Glas" which meant dark and stream.

DOWD - Thought to originate in the early word "Dubh" meaning dark and describing personal looks.

DOWNING - The prefix "Down" is said to reflect an early English word for "hill". The "Ing" suffix is thought to be a Viking Norse word to describe a "marsh" or "meadow", giving a literal meaning of the "hill by the meadow", a locative name which became identified with those that lived there.

DOYLE - This typically Irish surname is thought to have its roots in the Gaelic name "Dubhnhaill" meaning a "dark stranger"

DRAKE - The most famous English carrier of the surname is thought to be Sir Francis Drake, a leading sea commander during the 16th Century and a subject of Queen Elizabeth I.

DRAPER - Thought to derive from someone employed within the wider cloth industries, specialising in fabrics which might have been used within the home. Central members of most town's and city's merchant organisations, the Drapers Guild was generally highly influential within the civic and social lives of their individual communities. The word or title is thought to originate from the Old French word "Drapier", where "Drap" means "cloth".

DREW - Derived from the Welsh word for "wise".

DRISCOLL - It is suggested that the name comes from the Gaelic term "hEidersceol" which indicates a translator, interpreter or messenger.

DRIVER - This surname is an occupational title associated with the Herd's, Carter's and the Carrier's, as all were thought to be directly involved with the transportation of goods or livestock to their relevant markets or customers. Additionally, the term Driver might also originate from the post of an "overseer" or "slave-driver".

DRUMMOND - Associated with Scotland, the modern day name is said to originate from the early Gaelic word "Druim" which meant ridge.

DRURY - Thought to have come to Britain with the forces of William the Conqueror and possibly derived from the word "Druerle" meaning affection or friendship

DUCKWORTH - The suffix "worth" is thought to originate from an early English word identifying an enclosure. The prefix of the modern day surname might simply be a derivation of the early word "Douke" which meant duck, giving a literal interpretation of the "duck enclosure" a locative term.

DUFF - The origins of the name are thought to come from the word "dubh" meaning dark or black. The Irish/Gaelic family name "Duffy" is said to originate from the name "Dufaigh" meaning dark or black, referring to a persons look or complexion. Variants would include DUFFY.

DUKE - Possibly originating from the Latin word "Dux", indicating a leader. Alternatively, the family name may have referred to a person employed within a Ducal household or estate. Occasionally, the use may derive from the contraction of the first name Marmaduke.

DUNBAR - A Scottish place name, which has been adopted by one or more people that first lived there. The foundation of the early settlements name is said to originate from the Gaelic word "Dun" meaning "fort" and "Barr" meaning "summit", which would suggest a literal meaning of the "fort on the summit".  However, its also worth noting that the Old English word "Dun" meant "hill", which could give an alternative meaning of the "hill on the summit"?

DUNCAN - The modern day, commonly Gaelic surname is thought to originate from the first name "Duinnchinn" meaning Dark Headed

DUNNE - The prefix "Dun" is thought to have originated as the Old English word meaning "hill", but the name might also originate from the Irish/Gaelic name "Duinn" which means "brown" and might refer to a persons looks or their attire.

DUTTON - The "ton" suffix is thought to originally derive from the Anglo Saxon word which identified a fortified homestead or enclosure. The prefix "Dut" may originate from a specific persons name.

DWYER - From an Irish ancestry the modern family name is said to derive from "Dubhuir", a Gaelic word indicating something or someone that is "black".

DYER - There are 2 distinct possibilities for the origins of this particular surname and either or both might equally apply. The first suggestion is that the name derives from those that were involved with the  manufacturing of Dies within the minting industry, which can trace its origins back to well before the Roman occupation of Britain. Alternatively, the name might simply refer to those who were involved with the dyeing of cloths at their various settlements.

DYKES - Possibly originating from the early English word "Diche" which meant a ditch or a dyke and which were commonly used to surround and protect early settlements and enclosures. However, the occupational title "Dyker" was also thought to be an alternative term to describe a "mason".

DYLAN - Although sounding similar to Dillan and Dillon, this name is thought to relate to the "ocean"

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