Dawn Family History
Dawn Name Meaning
English (Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire): of Norman origin probably a clipped form of Dawnay or Dawney (compare Dana ) habitational names from one of the many places in northern France named for an alder grove (Old French aulnai aulnoi Latinized as alnetum). With fused preposition d(e) Anglo-Norman d'Aunai became Dawnay Dawney and (with loss of the final syllable) Dawn. Laney is another form of this surname with fused definite article. See also Dando from Anglo-Norman d'Aunou with which d'Aunai may sometimes have been confused. English: from Middle English Dawen a variant of Dawes with the weak declension genitival suffix -(e)n (Old English -an) instead of the standard Middle English -es. The usage is mainly restricted to West Midlands dialects of Middle English. Americanized form of German Daun .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022