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

Dawn, 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 Dawn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dawn in America

Dawn is the 20309th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dawn surname appeared 1,309 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dawn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dawn 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 Dawn

The surname Dawn is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a toponymic name, derived from the Old English word "dæg" or "dawning," referring to the first appearance of light in the morning. This name may have been given to someone who lived near a particular location associated with the dawn, such as a hill or an open field where the sunrise was visible.

The earliest known recorded mention of the Dawn surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England. This document lists a Richard de la Daune, suggesting that the name was present in the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Daune, Dawne, and Daan, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name was John Dawne, a merchant from Bristol who was recorded in the city's Guild Rolls in 1376.

During the 16th century, the Dawn surname continued to be found in various parts of England. In 1564, a Thomas Dawn was listed as a freeman of the City of London, indicating his status as a citizen with certain rights and privileges.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of William Dawn (1617-1669), a English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Upminster in Essex. He is known for his religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Sabbath" and "The Better Covenant Practically Explained."

Another notable bearer of the Dawn surname was Thomas Dawn (1796-1859), an English artist and engraver who specialized in landscapes and architectural subjects. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious institutions during the 19th century.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Dawn surname was found across various regions of England, with concentrations in counties such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Middlesex. During this period, the name was also associated with several individuals who made contributions in various fields, including George Dawn (1857-1925), a businessman and philanthropist from Manchester, and Edith Dawn (1885-1962), a novelist and short story writer from London.

While the surname Dawn has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and other historical events. Today, people bearing this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dawn

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

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 Dawn 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 Dawn 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 Dawn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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