Parent’s name
Daniel surname meaning
From Daniel, the biblical personal name traditionally glossed “God is my judge.”
The short story
Daniel is a surname from the biblical personal name Daniel, traditionally translated “God is my judge.” In English and other European records it could become hereditary after a family’s connection to an earlier Daniel, while Jewish, Christian, and other regional traditions may have produced separate lines. Daniels, Daniell, and Danielson are related formations, not proof of one shared family. The theological translation belongs to the given name; the surname’s practical meaning is “family of Daniel.” This catalog classifies Daniel as a parent’s-name surname with high confidence.
Also seen as: Daniels, Daniell, Danielson
Sources used
- Ancestry/Dictionary of American Family Names entry 'Daniel' (personal-name surname)
- Wikipedia 'Daniel (name)' (Hebrew biblical name)
- Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)