Davidson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of David.”
The #301 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,971 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Davidson is a patronymic surname built from the given name David plus the English/Scots suffix -son, literally meaning “son of David.” The given name David comes from the Hebrew name meaning “beloved.” In Scottish and English usage, the surname developed independently wherever a man was identified as David’s son.
History
The name is especially common in Scotland, where it has long been established as a major surname. Historical surname writers also note it among English forms derived from the personal name David, alongside Davis and Davies. In Scotland it appears in both Lowland and Gaelic-connected contexts, and it spread widely to North America and other English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th- and early-20th-century surname writers regularly grouped Davidson with other “David” family names such as Davis, Davies, and Davison, showing how productive the name root was in Britain.
From the historical record
“Scott, and Stewart. Brown is quite overshadowed by even such names as Nicoll, Fleming and Low. Smith and Miln run neck and neck in Aberdeen, with Davidson close up, the figures respectively being 1 in 47, 48, and 51. In Perth, Stewart just beats Young for first place. Smith being third a long way behind. Inverness…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)