David Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

David Name Meaning: From the personal name David, Hebrew for 'beloved'

This surname was common in England & Scotland from 12th century onwards, but found in Wales even earlier. This may be due to the popularity of David as a personal name, after the patron saint of Wales who was probably a monk & bishop from the 6th century.

Discover how your David ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

David Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the David family

Profession Census Frequency
General Labourer 62
Farmer 62
Living On Own Means 52
Coal Miner Hewer 45
Dress Maker 38
Coal Miner 27
General Servant Domestic 24
Coal Hewer 22
Carpenter 20
School 20
Dressmaker 19
Scholar 17
Cook Domestic 16
Housemaid Domestic 15
Ordinary Agricultural Labourer 14
Grocer 13
Domestic 12
Domestic Servant 12
Charwoman 10
Cotton Weaver 10
At School 10
Coal Miner C Hewer 10
Butcher 9
Dock Labourer 9
Labourer General 9

David Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 David 100% 42,796
2 Davied 83% 208

Did you know?

The surname David is the most popular version of all its varients

Search for the David family