What does the surname Davies mean ?
Both Welsh and English: a form of Davis that is the patronymic equivalent of the Welsh name ap Dafydd, which literally translates to “Dafydd’s son.” The number of people with this name is notably high in southern Wales. This variant of the name most likely reflects the influence of Davy, which was a popular English version of the given name David in the late medieval and early modern periods.
Whats the difference between Davis and Davies?
Both Davis and Davies are patronymic names, which means that they both mean “son of David.” Given that St. David is Wales’s patron saint, the surname Davies has enjoyed a great deal of success there. In Welsh, David is spelled Daffydd and the name’s meaning is “well-beloved.” In modern times, the surname Davies, with its roots in Welsh culture, is almost three times more common than Davis in the United Kingdom.
Because Davies is such a frequent patronymic in Welsh names, it comes in at number five on the list of most common names in England and Wales, behind only Smith, Jones, Williams, and Taylor. This is due to the fact that Davies is a prevalent surname in Wales. According to the XVI Ann. Report of the Registrar General, the number of individuals with the surname Williams was 21,936, the number of individuals with the surname Taylor was 16,775, and the number of individuals with the surname Davis was 14,983; however, since Davis is, for all intents and purposes, the same as Davies, by adding in 6206 Davises, this name numbers 21,188 individuals, beating the Taylors out of the field, and almost completely overtaking the Williams.
How many Davies are there in the UK?
It is estimated that 316,982 individuals in Great Britain have the surname Davies, which places it in the sixth place on the list of most frequent names in Great Britain. The surname Davies comes from the biblical figure David, whose Hebrew name means “beloved.” David, who is the patron saint of Wales, gave his name to one of the most common surnames in the country, Davies.
Is Davies a biblical name?
A patronymic surname, Davies is derived from the personal name David and means “son of David.” Because of the legendary King David of Israel, the name David ultimately came to be used as a given name across Medieval Europe. The name David means “beloved” in Hebrew, and the name David was popular at the time.