Dawson

An Irish surname of Antrim. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 83,182 people, the 380th most common surname in the country.

Dawson is the anglicised form of two distinct Irish names. Some you can hear in the English name; others look and sound nothing like it, and were simply swapped for it.

Dásan

Mac Dáibhidh, son of David (a common name among the early Anglo-Norman settlers in Ireland). This family stood in Co. Galway and Co. Wexford.

Where the name comes from

Mac Dáibhidh, son of David, spreads further than any of its spellings suggest: MacDavid, MacDavitt, Davy, Davey, Day, Davies, Davis, Davidson, Davison and Dawson are all the one name. Two of its families are native, MacDavid of Thomond and MacDavid of Wexford, and one is Scottish, once numerous and powerful in Badenoch. MacDavid was also the title of the head of a branch of the Burkes who took the district of Clann Connmhaigh in Co. Galway shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasion.

The Giant's Causeway at twilight with wet hexagonal basalt columns stretching to the sea and long exposure blurred waves
The Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim

Antrim, photographed

Photographs made in Antrim.

Antrim

The Antrim coast road runs about 25 miles between the cliffs and the sea, with nine glens coming down to it. The rock is basalt, the same flow that formed the Giant's Causeway. Scotland is 12 miles off at the narrowest point and visible on a clear day.

The iconic Dark Hedges beech tree tunnel near Armoy in County Antrim with intertwined branches forming a brooding canopyThe Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Long exposure of Pan's Rock with its footbridge at dawn on the Antrim Causeway Coast, silky water and blurred clouds, Rathlin Island on the horizonPan's Rock, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunrise over Colliery Bay with Fair Head cliffs and mountains, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxColliery Bay & Fair Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Dunluce Castle on coastal cliffs with long exposure sea, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDunluce Castle, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Black and white photograph of a rainstorm sweeping across the Skerries islands off the North Antrim coast near PortrushRainstorm, the Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over Bengore Head with waves rolling over rocks, Co. Antrim, Ireland — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxBengore Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over the Skerries coast in County Antrim with warm light reflecting on wet sand and rock formationsThe Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim

All Antrim prints

Notable bearers

Rosario Dawson (born 1979), actor, writer, and singer.

Michael Dawson (born 1983), association football player.

Craig Dawson (born 1990), association football player.

Roxann Dawson (born 1958), actor, film producer, and director.

Richard Dawson (1932-2012), actor, comedian, and television presenter.

About this page

The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.

More Irish surnames: Smith · Brown · Miller · Wilson · Anderson · Thomas · Taylor · Moore · Jackson · Martin · Lee · Thompson

How common the name was

In 1890, 55 births were registered under Dawson in Ireland, most of them in Antrim.

Ulster 28
Leinster 14
Munster 10
Connacht 3
Ireland 55