Dove
An English surname that likely began as a nickname for a gentle or dove-like person, though some bearers may also come from places named after the bird or the River Dove.
The #2,475 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,205 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Dove comes from the bird name, from Old English and Middle English words for a dove or pigeon. As a surname, it was commonly used as a nickname for someone thought to be gentle, mild, or otherwise dove-like. In some cases it may also be locational, referring to places near the River Dove or other local features bearing the name.
History
Lower explicitly glossed Dove as 'the bird' and also noted the River Dove in Derbyshire, so the surname has both nickname and locational possibilities. English records also show related bird-based surnames such as Culver and Columbine, which support the nickname pattern. The name remains established in Britain and is well represented in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The River Dove in Derbyshire helped give the surname an extra place-based layer, not just a bird nickname.
From the historical record
“DOUTinVAITE. See Thwaite. DOVE. The bird. Also a beautiful river of Derbyshire. DOVER. The Kentish town. DOVEREN. Doveran, a river in the shires of Banff and Aberdeen. DO VxVY. Possibly D'AulTai, "of Auflai," a small toM-u near Diejipe, in Normandy. DOW. Probably a corruption of the”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom