# Dawson (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/dawson/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A patrilineal surname.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 83,182 |
| US rank (2010) | 380 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 3,712 people |
| Change since 2000 | +3.7% (80,190 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɔːsən/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Daw, a Middle English pet form of David + -son.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Dawson in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 68% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 26% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 2.3% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Dawson in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, France and Argentina.

## People named Dawson

- Rosario Dawson, American actress (born 1979)
- Roxann Dawson, American actress and director
- Richard Dawson, British actor (1932–2012)
- Charles Dawson, British archaeological forger (1864-1916)
- Scott Dawson, American professional wrestler
- Casey Dawson, American speed skater
- Anthony Dawson, British actor (1916-1992)
- Kimya Dawson, American musician
- Doris Dawson, American actress (1909–1986)
- Dana Dawson, American actress, singer (1974-2010)
- Ralph Dawson, American film editor (1897-1962)
- Chad Dawson, American professional boxer

and 24 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Dyson, Deason, Dixon, Dickson, Dugan, Duggan, Dizon, Dixson, Disney, Deegan, Deacon, Dougan.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.