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Dawson Family History

Dawson Surname Meaning

English: patronymic meaning ‘son of Dawe’ from the Middle English personal name Daw(e) (see Daw 1 and ) which is sometimes a pet form of David (see 2 below) but more generally of Rauf or Raw (i.e. Ralph ) of which Daw(e) is a rhyming form. Alternatively the patronymic could mean ‘son of Daud(e)’ another Middle English pet form of Ralph evidently used interchangeably with Dawe. Dawson is one of the most numerous patronymics. Scottish: patronymic ‘son of Dawe’. In Scotland Dawe is a diminutive of David (compare 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Danson, Dowson, Pawson, Lawson, Rawson, Daws, Watson, Davison, Hanson

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Where is the Dawson family from?

You can see how Dawson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dawson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dawson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 132 Dawson families living in Ohio. This was about 14% of all the recorded Dawson's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Dawson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dawson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Dawson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dawson. 16% of Dawson men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Dawson women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dawson were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Dawson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dawson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 963,000 census records available for the last name Dawson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dawson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dawson

Passenger Lists

There are 110,000 immigration records available for the last name Dawson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dawson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 112,000 military records available for the last name Dawson. For the veterans among your Dawson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Dawson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Dawson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Dawson in 1941 was 27, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dawson

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