| ![Show Contents]() Damien History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Italy From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Damien. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Damien surname is derived from the Latin given name "Damianus," which in turn comes from the name of a Greek goddess, Damia. There was an early Christian saint named Damian, martyred in Cilicia in the year 303, under emperor Domitian. There was also a St. Damian, who lived in the 7th-8th centuries, where he was the bishop of Pavia. These two saints, no doubt have contributed the popularity of this name. Early Origins of the Damien familyThe surname Damien was first found in the Italian region of "Veneto" which later became the city of Venice as early as the year 921. Early History of the Damien familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Damien research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1233, 1285, 1300, 1400, 1584 and 1606 are included under the topic Early Damien History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Damien Spelling VariationsItalian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Damien include Damiani, Damiano, Damian, Damien, Damiàn and others. Early Notables of the Damien familyProminent among members of the family was Lorenzo Damiani of Pisa, a 14th century poet famous for his sonnets of a smooth style. Francesco Damiani, born in Pisa around 1300, was a respected man of letters; the Damiani family was one of the most ancient families in Genoa and dates back to...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Damien Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Damien RankingIn France, the name Damien is the 2,876th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 1
 Damien migration to the United States | + |
Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Damien or a variant listed above:
Damien Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Joha Damien, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States, in 1892
Damien Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Melideo Damien, aged 33, who landed in America from Roccarano, Italy, in 1907
- Ceser Damien, aged 30, who settled in America from Jemaffes, Belgium, in 1908
- Victoria Damien, aged 30, who landed in America from Jemaffes, Belgium, in 1908
- Aubert Damien, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Torreau, Mexico, in 1910
- Udry Damien, aged 23, who immigrated to America from Conthey, Switzerland, in 1922
| Damien migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Damien Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century- Pierre Damien, who arrived in Quebec in 1665
- Mr. Jacques Damien, French settler travelling to Canada for work arriving on 2nd April 1665 2
- Mr. Jacques Damien, French settler travelling to Canada for work arriving on 3rd April 1665 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Damien (post 1700) | + |
- André Damien (1930-2019), French lawyer and politician, Mayor of Versailles (1977-1995)
- Father Jozef Damien (1840-1889), born Jozef De Veuster, a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium
- Guy Damien Lafleur OC, CQ (1951-2022), nicknamed "The Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", Canadian professional NHL hockey player with the Montreal Canadiens, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
- Philip Damien Cummins AM (1939-2019), Australian lawyer and jurist for the Supreme Court of Victoria
- Michael Damien Otto (b. 1964), New Zealand engineer, public relations adviser and journalist
- Kevin Damien Keelan MBE (b. 1941), British retired professional football goalkeeper
- Andrew Damien Wilkie (b. 1961), Australian politician and independent federal member for Denison
- Patrick Damien Secker (b. 1956), Australian politician
- Brendan Damien McKay (b. 1951), Australian computer scientist
- Damien Chamley, British actor, known for Mama Africa: Growing Up Urban (2002) and Riches (2001)
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Damien migration to the United States 
Damien migration to Canada 
