Find out how popular the last name Davisson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Davisson.

Davisson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Davisson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Davisson in America

Davisson is the 11529th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Davisson surname appeared 2,728 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Davisson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Davisson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Davisson

The surname Davisson is of Scottish origin, deriving from the personal name David and the diminutive suffix "-son", meaning "son of David". It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, between the 11th and 16th centuries, when the use of hereditary surnames became widespread in Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Davisson can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented homages sworn to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The name is likely to have originated in the Scottish Lowlands, where the majority of the population adopted surnames earlier than in the Highlands.

Variations in spelling were common during the medieval period, and the name Davisson may have been recorded as Davisone, Daveson, or Davison in historical documents. These variations reflect the different ways the name was pronounced and transcribed by scribes.

The name is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Daviston in Aberdeenshire and Davidston in Ayrshire, which may have influenced the surname's development.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Davisson include:

1. John Davisson (c. 1570 - c. 1640), a Scottish clergyman and author who served as the minister of Libberton Parish Church in Lanarkshire.

2. William Davisson (1593 - 1669), a Scottish philosopher and educator who taught at the University of Aberdeen in the 17th century.

3. Margaret Davisson (c. 1650 - 1715), a Scottish woman accused of witchcraft during the infamous Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts.

4. Robert Davisson (1714 - 1789), a Scottish-born surveyor and explorer who played a significant role in mapping the American frontier in the late 18th century.

5. James Davisson (1809 - 1876), a Scottish-American inventor and engineer who contributed to the development of early locomotive technologies.

The surname Davisson has a rich history rooted in Scottish heritage, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages. While variations in spelling existed, the name has maintained its connection to the personal name David and its associated place names throughout its evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Davisson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Davisson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Davisson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Davisson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Davisson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Davisson, please contact us.

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