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Show ContentsDavey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The surname Davey is from the unique Celtic culture that developed in Wales. This particular surname is from the personal name David, which means darling or friend. This name was common in England and Scotland from the 12th century onward, but was particularly popular in Wales even earlier. One of the most famous bearers of this personal name in Wales was David ap Gryffydd, the last Prince of North Wales, who was executed c. 1276 by King Edward I of England.

Early Origins of the Davey family

The surname Davey was first found in London where the first record appears as a forename as Daui Capriht in 1292. As a surname, again in London, Walter dauy was listed 1198-1212. Later, Richard Davy was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275. 1

In Somerset, the first record there was of Henry Davy, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign) 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Richard Davi, Suffolk; and William Davy, Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Jahannes Dauyman (i.e. the servant of Davy) and Matilda Dauy, doghter. 3

Early History of the Davey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Davey research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1612, 1621, 1622, 1629, 1630, 1640, 1641, 1654, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1670, 1671, 1678, 1679, 1684, 1685, 1692, 1707, 1710, 1765 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Davey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Davey Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Davey name over the years has been spelled Davy, Davey, Davie, Daivey, Daivy, Daivie, Dayvy, Dayvie, Dayvey, Devy, Devie and many more.

Early Notables of the Davey family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir John Davie, 1st Baronet (1588-1654), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622, High Sheriff of Devon from 1629 to 1630; Sir John Davie, 2nd Baronet (1612-1678), an English politician who sat in the...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Davey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Davey World Ranking

In the United States, the name Davey is the 5,549th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Davey is ranked the 239th most popular surname with an estimated 14,236 people with that name. 5 And in New Zealand, the name Davey is the 310th popular surname with an estimated 1,955 people with that name. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Davey as 341st with 18,179 people. 7

Ireland Migration of the Davey family to Ireland

Some of the Davey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Davey migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Davey:

Davey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Davey, who landed in Virginia in 1639 8
Davey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Davey, who arrived in America in 1765 8
Davey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Teghe Davey, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1812 8
  • Tighe Davey, aged 18, who landed in New York in 1812 8
  • Cornelius Davey, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • James Davey, who arrived in New York in 1819 8
  • John Davey, who arrived in New York in 1840 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Davey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Joseph Davey, (b. 1865), aged 35, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th February 1900 en route to Houghton, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. Richard Davey, (b. 1867), aged 33, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th April 1900 en route to Red Jacket, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. Richard Davey, (b. 1867), aged 33, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 21st April 1900 en route to Ishpeming, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. William Davey, (b. 1882), aged 18, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th April 1900 en route to Negaunee, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. Stephen Davey, (b. 1875), aged 29, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 19th April 1904 en route to Michigan, USA 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Davey migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Davey Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Benjamin Davey U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 187 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 10
  • Mr. Michael Davey U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Ontario c. 1784 10
  • Mr. Henry Davey U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Ontario c. 1789 listed as Royal Rangers New York 10
  • Mr. John Davey U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Ontario c. 1789 listed as Royal Rangers New York 10
  • Mr. Peter Davey U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Ontario c. 1790 10
Davey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Davey, aged 20, who landed in Canada in 1812
  • Mrs. Ann Davey, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "James Moran" departing 22nd May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 11th July 1847 but she died on board 11
  • Mr. Michael Davey, aged 46 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Albion" departing 19th April 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 18th June 1847 but he died on board 11
Davey Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Warwick Davey, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "Carpathia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 23rd June 1905 en route to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 9

Australia Davey migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Davey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Davey, British convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, the settlement was listed as abandoned and most of the convicts transported to Tasmania on the "Queen" in 1804 12
  • James Davey, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Agamemnon" on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • John Davey, English convict from Devon, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 14
  • James Davey, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 15
  • Mr. George Davey, (b. 1802), aged 29, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Davey migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Davey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charles Davey, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1836
  • Leyson Henry Davey, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
  • Emma Davey, aged 14, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
  • William Davey, aged 37, a plasterer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
  • Elizabeth Davey, aged 35, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Davey (post 1700) +

  • John Richard Davey (1957-2021), Australian cricketer who played one first-class match for South Australia in 1981-1982
  • Damian Davey (1964-2017), born Damian Baker and better known simply as Damian, an English pop musician, best known for his 1989 hit "The Time Warp", a cover version of the original track from The Rocky Horror Show
  • Sir David Herbert Penry- Davey (1942-2015), British High Court judge
  • Richard Innes Davey (1938-2013), Australian actor, director and writer
  • Keith Douglas Davey OC (1926-2011), Canadian politician and senator
  • Richard Davey (1799-1884), English MP from Cornwall, JP and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Cornwall
  • Kyle Davey, Australian award-winning ballet dancer, TV personality, and occasional model
  • Edward Jonathan "Ed" Davey (b. 1965), British politician, MP for Surbiton
  • Alwyn Davey (b. 1984), Australian rules footballer
  • Aaron Davey (b. 1983), Australian rules footballer
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. John Stanley Davey (1901-1941), Australian Petty Officer Cook from Boronia, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 17
HMS Dorsetshire
  • William Davey (d. 1945), British Warrant Officer Electrical aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 18
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Reginald J Davey (b. 1922), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 19
  • Mr. Frederick G Davey (b. 1901), English Leading Telegraphist serving for the Royal Navy from Camberwell, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 19
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. William D Davey, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 20
  • Mr. William R Davey, British Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 20
  • Mr. Albert Davey, British Petty Office Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 20
  • Mr. Albert Davey, British Chief Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 20
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. John Davey, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Bertram R Davey, British Electrical Artificer 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 21
HMS Royal Oak
  • Michael F. Davey, British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 22
  • Cecil Boylett Davey (d. 1939), British Chief Petty Officer Supply with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 22
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  10. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  11. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 72)
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  13. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  17. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  18. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  19. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  20. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  21. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  22. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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