Dampier
/ˈdæm.pi.ər/noun
A surname, most famously associated with the English explorer William Dampier.
Did you know?Dampier is an English surname, and its exact origin is uncertain; it is not a transparent everyday word with a clear “hidden meaning,” but a real historical family name made famous by the explorer William Dampier.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval English
English
Dampier
“A hereditary surname, later borne by the explorer William Dampier.”
Middle English
English
damp
“Moisture, wetness, or a humid state.”
Old Norse
ON
dampi
“Dampness, moisture.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*dampaz
“Moist, wet, or damp.”