The ancestors of the name Daines date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Daines family lived in the valley or the dann. The surname often meant the dweller in the valley.
The surname Daines was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Daines research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1327 is included under the topic Early Daines History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Daines are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Daines include: Dan, Dann, Danne, Dans, Danns, Dannes and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Daines Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Daines family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Daines or a variant listed above: George Dan who settled in Virginia in 1655; John Dan settled in Barbados in 1678; Jacob Dann settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1870.