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Davies

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This article is about the surname. For the crater, see Davies (crater).
Davies
PronunciationUK: /ˈdeɪvɪs/ DAY-vis
US: /ˈdeɪviːz/ DAY-veez
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)Welsh
Region of originWales
Other names
Variant form(s)
[1]


Davies is a patronymic Welsh surname meaning "son of David". It is the second most common surname in Wales, a rank it shares with "Williams", and the eighth most common surname in England, where many people have Welsh ancestry.[2] It is particularly widespread in southwest England, especially Cornwall, and in the areas of northwest England that are near the border with Wales.[2]

In the United States, the variant "Davis" is much more common.[3] In the United Kingdom, the surname is usually pronounced the same as "Davis". This pronunciation is also used by many other English-speaking countries, though it sometimes competes with the common American pronunciation to distinguish it from "Davis".[citation needed]

There are two main theories concerning the surname's origin, though neither have been proven. The first theory states that it may stem from the Kingdom of Dyfed, a medieval Welsh kingdom located in modern-day Carmarthenshire; however, the origin of the kingdom's name is itself disputed, with the most commonly accepted theories being that it was founded by the powerful Irish Déisi dynasty in the third century[4] or that it otherwise derives from the name of the Demetae people.[5] "Dyfed" as a surname and the related forename "Dafydd" appear from the 12th century, with the latter generally translated into English as "David". The second theory about the origin of "Davies" contends that it may derive directly from the Hebrew name "David", which is also the name of Wales' patron saint.[6]

Notable people with the surname

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2003). Roach, Peter; Hartman, James; Setter, Jane (eds.). "Davies". Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (16th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-81693-9.
  2. ^ a b "Davies Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Davis Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  4. ^ Powell, T. G. E. (1958). The Celts. London: Thames & Hudson. OCLC 1110318.
  5. ^ Charles-Edwards, Thomas (2013). Wales and the Britons, 350–1064. OUP Oxford. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-19-821731-2.
  6. ^ "Surname Database: Davies Last Name Origin". surnamedb.com. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
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