Show ContentsDawley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Dawley

What does the name Dawley mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Dawley comes from when the family resided in or beside a meadow. The surname Dawley originally derived from the Old English word Dael. 1

Early Origins of the Dawley family

The surname Dawley was first found in Norfolk at either Field Dalling or Wood Dalling. Collectively they date back to the Domesday Book when they were listed as Dallinga. 2 Later there was a split in the villages as Wode Dallinges was listed in 1198 and Fildedalling was listed in 1272. 3

The parish of Wood-Dalling (anciently spelt Wode Dallinges) in Norfolk was a family seat since early times. "The Hall, now a respectable farmhouse, was built in 1582 by a member of the Dalling family, which during a long period held the estate." 4

The source History of Norfolk has the following entries for the family: Phillip de Dalling, Norfolk, 10 John; Eustace de Dalling, Norfolk, 6 Edward II; Peter de Dallyng, Norfolk, 1291; and Roger Dallyng, vicar of Brooke, Norfolk, 1409. 5

Further to the north in Scotland, the Dawling variant was most popular: "Robert Dawling in Leith accepts the king's coronation, 1567, and Jonet Dauling was heir of Violet Dauling, lawfully born daughter of Robert Dawling, 1637. James Dawling was member of Scots parliament for South Queensferry, 1639. Jeanna Dawling and Helena Dawling were heirs portioners of James Dawling, burgess of Sowth Queensferrie, their father, 1668. Probably of English origin from Dalling in Norfolk." 6

Early History of the Dawley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dawley research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1561, 1567, 1637, 1684, 1691 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Dawley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dawley Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Dawley has been recorded under many different variations, including Dalling, Dawling, Douling, Dauling, Dallinger and others.

Early Notables of the Dawley family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dawley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dawley Ranking

In the United States, the name Dawley is the 12,237th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Dawley family to Ireland

Some of the Dawley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dawley migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Dawley or a variant listed above:

Dawley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Dawley, who arrived in New England in 1727 8
Dawley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jerry Dawley, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1854 8

Dawley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dawley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Dawley, aged 14 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Superior" departing from the port of Londonderry, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 9
  • Miss. Catherine Dawley, aged 5 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Wakefield" departing 28th May 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th July 1847 but she died on board 10

Dawley migration to Australia +

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

Dawley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Jeremiah Dawley, (Daley), (b. 1782), aged 40, Irish ploughman who was convicted in County Down, Ireland for life for rioting, transported aboard the "Brampton" on 8th November 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. Timothy Dawley, (Daley), (b. 1793), aged 29, Irish ploughman who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for life for rioting, transported aboard the "Brampton" on 8th November 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1841 11
  • Mr. Michael Dawley, (b. 1822), aged 22, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 10 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), may have returned on the ship "Psyche" 12

Contemporary Notables of the name Dawley (post 1700) +

  • Major-General Ernst Joseph Dawley (1886-1973), American Member of Officers Procurement Board, 3rd Army (1946) 13
  • William H. Dawley Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Voluntown; Defeated, 1908, 1910; Elected 1912; Defeated, 1920 14
  • Nelson Dawley, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Oneida County, 1840 14
  • Lulu F. Dawley, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Montana 1st District, 1922 14
  • Lewis H. Dawley, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1956; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1960, 1964 (alternate) 14
  • John W. Dawley, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1954-59 (acting, 1954-55) 14
  • J. W. Dawley, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Washington, 1944 14
  • J. M. Dawley, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Washington, 1940 (alternate), 1952; Washington Republican State Chair, 1945 14
  • Isaac N. Dawley, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 16th District, 1854-55 14
  • Glenn Dawley, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1928 14
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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. 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. 23)
  10. 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)
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Brampton
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
  13. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 10) Ernst Dawley. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Dawley/Ernst_Joseph/USA.html
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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