Show ContentsDaniel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Daniel Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Daniel

What does the name Daniel mean?

The prestigious surname Daniel originated in the beautiful and majestic region of Poitou in France. France was notorious for its eccentric kings, but it was revered for its contributions to European art and culture. The surname Daniel originally came from the region of Poitou. It is a topographical name, which is a type of hereditary surname. Topographical surnames were taken from physical features or landmarks that the family lived near.

Early Origins of the Daniel family

The surname Daniel was first found in Poitou, where early members of the lineage have been cited since the twelfth century, such as Guillaume Daniel, a knight recorded in 1155. Another Daniel, known only as Master, was Chaplain of the French Empire in 1186. Leonard Daniel was alderman of Poitiers in 1355. Many individuals with the name Daniel are cited around 1335 in Normandy: of Boisdemets, Pernay, Vauguion. Lambert Daneau was honoured with noble status in 1428, studied law, and received his doctor of law. 1

Early History of the Daniel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Daniel research. The years 1523, 1592, 1601, 1619, 1649, 1650, 1754, 1787, 1794, 1806, 1818, 1858, 1878 and 1879 are included under the topic Early Daniel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Daniel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Danis, Daniel, Daneau, Danel, Danès, Danet, Daniau, Deniau, Danis, Dany, Danielli, Danielis, Danielet, Daniellot, Daniélou and many more.

Early Notables of the Daniel family

  • Pierre Danès, who was named curator of Saint-Josse in Paris in 1523 and was known as one of the most brilliant humanists of his time. Charles Daniel was a famous Marine in Dieppe in 1592
  • Saint Antoine Daniel was a Jesuit in Dieppe in 1601
  • Gabriel Daniel was a Jesuit in Rouen in 1649
  • Jacques-Louis Daniel was bishop of Coutances in 1794
  • Jacques-Hyppolyte Daniel was a surgeon in Versailles in 1806
  • Charles Daniel was a Jesuit in Beauvais in 1818

Daniel World Ranking

the United States, the name Daniel is the 334th most popular surname with an estimated 82,071 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Daniel is ranked the 161st most popular surname with an estimated 20,107 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Daniel is the 434th popular surname with an estimated 8,684 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Daniel as 880th with 832 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Daniel as 819th with 8,289 people. 6

Daniel migration to the United States +



Daniel Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Daniel who settled in Virginia in 1606
  • Thomas Daniel, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 8
Daniel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Daniel, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 8
  • James Daniel, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 8
  • Alex and Francis Daniel, who settled in Maryland in 1774
Daniel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mary Daniel, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 8
  • Michael Daniel, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 8
  • Owen Daniel, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • T Daniel, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • Tho Daniel, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Daniel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. James Daniel, (b. 1878), aged 22, Cornish miner, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th August 1900 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. William Daniel, (b. 1868), aged 32, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th March 1900 en route to Crystal Falls, Michigan, USA 9
  • Mr. Richard B Daniel, (b. 1875), aged 29, Cornish salesman, from Penzance, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 3rd September 1904 en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 9

Daniel migration to Canada +

Daniel Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Daniel lived in Chamballon, Quebec in 1695
Daniel Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Madeleine Daniel married in 1709 in Boucherville, Quebec
  • Jacques Daniel, son of François and Marie, who married Madeleine Barbeau, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Montreal, Quebec on 18th January 1717 10
  • Joseph Daniel, son of Thomas and Barbe, who married Marie-Françoise Bilodeau, daughter of Antoine and Geneviève, in Saint-François-de-l'île-d'Orléans, Quebec on 30th September 1726 10
  • Jean Daniel, who landed in Canada in 1738
  • François Daniel, son of Thomas and Barbe, who married Marie-Catherine Sansaveu, daughter of Pierre and Marie-Madeleine, in Beaumont, Quebec on 23rd August 1756 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Daniel migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. Robert Daniel, British settler convicted in Essex, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "William and Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Daniel Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Daniel 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:

Daniel Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Ailan Daniel, who landed in Rangitikei, New Zealand in 1840
  • A. Daniel, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wild Duck" in 1861
  • John Daniel, aged 34, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
  • Eliza Daniel, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
  • Clara Daniel, aged 10, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rodney" in 1875
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Daniel migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16
Daniel Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • John Daniel and his son settled in Barbados in 1678

Contemporary Notables of the name Daniel (post 1700) +

  • Rhoda A. Daniel (b. 1920), American sergeant in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Clarence Welborn Daniel (1926-2016), American attorney and politician, Member of the Florida House of Representatives from Lake County (1957-1964)
  • Marion Price Daniel Sr. (1910-1988), American politician, Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas
  • Rollin Augustus "Rod" Daniel III (1942-2016), American three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominated television and film director, known for Teen Wolf (1985), Beethoven's 2nd (1993), K-9 (1989) and Home Alone 4 (2002)
  • Brigadier-General Maurice Wiley Daniel (1896-1986), American Acting Chief of Staff, 4th Army (1949) 17
  • William Partlow Daniel (1915-2006), Governor of Guam and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives
  • Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel (1846-1911), American distiller and the founder of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distillery
  • William A. Daniel, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
  • Laurance Thomas David Daniel (1942-2023), Wales international rugby union player
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Kevin Henry Daniel (1912-1941), Australian Ordnance Artificer 4th Class from Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 18
  • Mr. Frank Daniel, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 19
  • Mr. John Daniel (b. 1853), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 20
  • Mr. Robert Williams Daniel, aged 27, American First Class passenger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 3 21
  • Mr. Alfred E. Daniel, American Gunners Mate First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 22
  • ... (Another 2 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name Daniel +

  • John Daniel, Sr., 1724-1819, of Essex County, Virginia and Laurens County, South Carolina: His Virginia Ancestry and Some of His Descendants by Christine Gee.
  1. Hozier, Charles D, and Antoine Bachelin-Delforenne. État présent De La Noblesse française (1883-1887): Contenant Le Distionnaire De La Noblesse Contemporaine Et Larmorial général De France, Dapres Les Manuscrits De Ch. D Hozier. Librairie Des Bibliophiles, 1884. Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  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. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/experiment
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 10) Maurice Daniel. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Daniel/Maurice_Wiley/USA.html
  18. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  19. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  20. Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
  21. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  22. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html

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