UK surname
An occupational surname derived from the old French word "dauber" meaning skilled worker in mud walls.
In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Daver surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35, ranked #35,703, down from #32,416 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Amersham, Bonhill and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daver is 167 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 288.9%.
1881 census count
9
Ranked #32,416
Modern count
35
2016, ranked #35,703
Peak year
1861
167 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Daver surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Daver surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 44 | #25,328 |
| 1861 | historical | 167 | #13,956 |
| 1881 | historical | 9 | #32,416 |
| 1891 | historical | 54 | #29,849 |
| 1901 | historical | 16 | #32,260 |
| 1911 | historical | 16 | #31,804 |
| 1997 | modern | 17 | #36,181 |
| 1998 | modern | 17 | #36,240 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 17 | #36,207 |
| 2001 | modern | 16 | #36,160 |
| 2002 | modern | 16 | #36,267 |
| 2003 | modern | 17 | #36,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 18 | #36,245 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 14 | #36,801 |
| 2007 | modern | 20 | #36,362 |
| 2008 | modern | 20 | #36,443 |
| 2009 | modern | 22 | #36,394 |
| 2010 | modern | 25 | #36,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 24 | #36,306 |
| 2012 | modern | 29 | #35,991 |
| 2013 | modern | 33 | #35,808 |
| 2014 | modern | 35 | #35,722 |
| 2015 | modern | 35 | #35,702 |
| 2016 | modern | 35 | #35,703 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Amersham, Bonhill, Manchester, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amersham | Buckinghamshire |
| 2 | Bonhill | Dunbarton |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Daver surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Daver, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Daver surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Daver household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Daver is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Daver is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Daver, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname DAVER originated in England during the late medieval period, likely in the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dæfre" and "dæfer," meaning a type of long sword or dagger. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was skilled in the use of such weapons, perhaps as a soldier or a knight.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DAVER can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain John Daver is mentioned. The variant spelling "Dafar" also appears in 14th-century records from Somerset.
In the 15th century, the name DAVER was associated with several notable figures. Sir Thomas Daver (c. 1420-1492) was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Gloucestershire. He served as a justice of the peace and was involved in local administration. Another individual, William Daver (c. 1450-1518), was a prosperous merchant from Bristol who traded extensively with the Low Countries.
During the Tudor period, the DAVER surname was linked to several locations in England, including the village of Davers in Suffolk and the Daver Manor in Wiltshire. The latter was owned by the Daver family from the late 16th century until the early 18th century.
One of the most notable individuals with the DAVER surname was Sir Robert Daver (1585-1655), a Member of Parliament and a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War. He fought for King Charles I and was knighted in 1628 for his loyalty and service.
In the 17th century, the DAVER name was also found in Scotland, where a branch of the family settled in the Borders region. John Daver (1620-1696) was a prominent minister and theologian who served as the principal of the University of Edinburgh.
Throughout history, the DAVER surname has undergone various spellings, including Dafar, Dafour, Dafere, and Dafre, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at different times and places.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daver surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Dunbartonshire leads with 7 Davers recorded in 1881 and an index of 296.61x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Dunbartonshire | 7 | 296.61x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 3.53x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 7.67x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bonhill in Dunbartonshire leads with 7 Davers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1842.11x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bonhill | 7 | 1842.11x |
| Barony | 1 | 13.95x |
| North Shields | 1 | 384.62x |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Daver surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Daver households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Watchman On Board | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Daver surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 35 in 2016. That gives Daver a modern rank of #35,703.
An occupational surname derived from the old French word "dauber" meaning skilled worker in mud walls.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Daver bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.