Popularity of the last name by country

Canada

• Ontario (1,707)
• Québec (1,272)
• British Columbia (432)
• Nova Scotia (208)
• Prince Edward Island (176)
• Alberta (139)
• Manitoba (132)
• New Brunswick (130)
• Saskatchewan (49)
• Newfoundland and Labrador (39)
• Yukon (3)

All countries

• United Kingdom (371,002)
• United States (98,783)
• Ireland (17,540)
• Australia (16,250)
• New Zealand (13,179)
• Canada (6,045)
• France (3,863)
• Unknown country (3,591)
• Germany (443)
• Belgium (439)
• Netherlands (417)
• Italy (291)
• India (289)
• Switzerland (212)
• Peru (210)
• Spain (181)
• South Africa (145)
• Colombia (134)
• Poland (120)
• Mexico (115)
• Sweden (101)
• Russian Federation (88)
• Egypt (78)
• Martinique (77)
• Turkey (73)
• Brazil (66)
• Austria (61)
• Denmark (60)
• China (58)
• Jamaica (57)
• Portugal (57)
• Argentina (54)
• Indonesia (53)
• Greece (50)
• Algeria (42)
• Samoa (40)
• Sri Lanka (39)
• Israel (37)
• Myanmar (37)
• Paraguay (37)

Origine of last name

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