Davis
/ˈdeɪvɪs/noun
A common surname and given name, originally meaning 'son of David.'
Did you know?Davis is a patronymic surname, so its history is less about magic and more about ancestry: it literally marks someone as belonging to the line of David.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Heb
Dāwīḏ
“A personal name, traditionally understood as 'beloved.'”
Greek
Gk
Dauíd
“Greek form of the biblical name David.”
Latin
Lat
David
“Latin biblical form of the name David.”
Middle English
Eng
Davy
“A pet form of David used in surnames and bynames.”
Middle English
Eng
Davys / Davis
“'Son of David' or 'belonging to David,' formed as a patronymic surname.”
Modern English
Eng
Davis
“A common surname and, less often, a given name.”