Dawson Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Dawson Family History

Dawson Family History

The Dawson ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Dawson is a baptismal name meaning 'the son of David', a very old personal name. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are Willemus Dauson, Robertus Daweson, Osbarn Daweson and Walterus Daweson who were all recorded in the 'Poll Tax of the West Riding of Yorkshire', England, in the year 1379. A John Daweson was a merchant in the service of Archambaud, Earl of Douglas, Scotland, in the year 1405.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

Since that time the name has also become prominent in Counties Monaghan and Tipperary.The Dawson family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Dawson descendants.