Davis is a patronymic surname originating in Wales that means 'son of St. David '. It is the 45th most common surname in England and 68th most common in Wales. According to the 2000 United States Census survey, 'Davis' was the 7th most frequently reported surname, accounting for 0.48% of the population, preceding Garcia and following Miller in its frequency. It continues as the 7th most common surname in the United States in 2014. It is also recorded in the spellings of Davies, Davie, Dafis, Dafys and several others. This surname is also found in Ireland.