Show ContentsDaynes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Daynes comes from when the family resided in the valley or the dann. The surname often meant the dweller in the valley. 1

Alternatively the name could have been "derived from the name of an ancestor, 'the son of Daniel,' from nickname Dan. " 2

Early Origins of the Daynes family

The surname Daynes was first found in Sussex where Geoffrey atte Danne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Later in Sussex, Simon Dann was found in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332. 1

Early History of the Daynes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Daynes research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1327 is included under the topic Early Daynes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Daynes 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. Daynes has been recorded under many different variations, including Dan, Dann, Danne, Dans, Danns, Dannes and others.

Early Notables of the Daynes family

More information is included under the topic Early Daynes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Daynes family to Ireland

Some of the Daynes 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.


Daynes 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 Daynes or a variant listed above:

Daynes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Daynes, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 3
  • William Daynes, who landed in Virginia in 1655 3

Daynes migration to Australia +

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

Daynes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss. Rebecca Daynes, (b. 1819), aged 28, British Housemaid who was convicted in Norwich, Norfolkshire, England for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Asia" on 9th March 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1852 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Daynes (post 1700) +

  • Kathryn M. "Kathy" Daynes (b. 1946), American historian and professor of history at Brigham Young University, President of the Mormon History Association in 2008 and 2009
  • John Daynes, English-born immigrant to America with his wife Eliza Miller Daynes, together they founded Daynes Music, in Midvale, Utah, the oldest retail business and continuously operated family business in Utah
  • Joseph John Daynes (1851-1920), English organist for Norwich, England, the first organist at the Salt Lake Tabernacle and for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
  • Élisabeth Daynès (b. 1960), French sculptor
  • Colin Daynes (1974-1996), Canadian Greco-Roman wrestler at the 1996 Summer Olympics


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1847


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