Our Davis ancestors have been traced to Wales, England. Davis is a popular Welsh surname. The name origin can be traced to the Davidson Clan in Scotland. The Scottish Davis family was a sept of the larger and powerful Davidson Clan.
Today the Davis name is among the most numerous in England and Wales. This is due to the fact that there are so many variations of the name. Davis is a derivation of the name David, which means "well-beloved" — popular in Biblical days and a favorite among the Scottish kings. Davis was used to signify "son of David". Though of ancient standing in Wales, David hardly appears in England before the Norman Conquest (A.D. 1066). The spelling evolved in various forms, it has produced many family names such as Davis, Davidson, Davies, Daves, Dawson, Dawes, Day, Dakin, Davison, etc. The Irish form is M'Daid; the French, Devis.
For several centuries the Davis clans lived mainly in Wales, and some in Northern Ireland, the present-day counties on the island of Ireland, which comprise Ulster. Most of the people of Great Britian, that is England, Scotland, Wales, and Ulster, and likewise the Davises, were and are of the Protestant faith.
The Davises who came from the British Isles to America continued in the faith of their fathers, for the most part, though their descendants in this country today will be found in the memberships of practically all the various Protestant churches. The original Davis immigrants, and their families, in the main were ardent followers of the Church of England, with their descendants becoming members and ministers of Methodist, Methodist-Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Episcopal churches. A small percentage did convert to the Quaker and Roman Catholic faiths, however. And, there are some with the name who are of the Jewish faith.
Note: The Coat Of Arms shown above is one of many attributed to the Davis family.
"...there is no such thing as a 'family coat-of-arms' or a'family crest'; even in the event that one can trace his or her lineage to a family that was granted such an honor. To use arms one must officially apply for its use only after the correct 'differencing' has taken place. There may be an exception when it can be proved that the applicant is a direct male descendant of the original armiger. The mere coincidence of one's surname being the same as a person who was granted arms is no indication of family relationship, nor does it indicate any right to arms. In the United States it is no crime to display arms and related insignia if one wishes. However, it should be understood that such a display is purely decorative."
From the book by James C. Neagles "The Library of Congress: A Guide to Historical & Genealogical Resources"