Day Surname

Day Name Meaning
English: from a pet form of David. English: from the Middle English personal name Day(e) or Dey(e), Old English Dæi, apparently from Old English dæg 'day', perhaps a short form of Old English personal names such as Dægberht and Dægmund. Reaney, however, points to the Middle English word day(e), dey(e) 'dairy maid', '(female) servant' (from Old English d?ge, cognate with Old Norse deigja 'female servant', ultimately from a root meaning 'to knead', and related to the word for dough), which he says came to be used for a servant of either sex.
Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Deaghaidh (see O'Dea).
Scottish: from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name Daìdh, a colloquial form of David.
Welsh: from Dai, a pet form of the personal name Dafydd, Welsh form of David.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press

http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=day

Day Coat of Arms Meaning

The three main devices (symbols) in the Day blazon are the mullet, wings and hands conjoined. The three main tinctures (colors) are azure, argent and gules.

Azure is the heraldic colour blue, usually quite a deep, dark shade of the colour (there is a lighter blue that sometimes occurs, known as celestial azure). If colour printing is not available then it can be represented by closely spaced horizontal lines in a scheme known as "hatching"¹ The word is thought to originate from the Arabic lazura and it represents the colour of the eastern sky. It is also said to be the colour associated by the Catholic Church with the Virgin Mary and hence of particular significance²

Argent is the heraldic metal Silver and is usually shown as very pure white. It is also known more poetically as pearl, moon (or luna)³ In a sketch or drawing it is represented by plain, unmarked paper ⁴

Red in heraldry is given the name Gules, sometimes said to be the "martyr’s colour"⁵ The colour is also associated with Mars, the red planet, and the zodiacal sign Aries⁶ Later heralds of a more poetical nature would sometimes refer to the colour as ruby, after the precious stone.⁷

The heraldic mullet, not to be confused with the fish of that name, is shown as a regular, five pointed star. This was originally, not an astronomical object, but represented the spur on a horseman’s boot, especially when pierced, with a small circular hole in the centre it represents a type of spur known as a "rowel" ⁸ A clear example can be found in the arms of Harpendene, argent, a mullet pierced gules. The ancient writer Guillim associated such spurs in gold as belonging to the Knight, and the silver to their esquires⁹ In later years, Wade linked this five pointed star with the true celestial object, the estoile and termed it a "falling star", symbolising a "divine quality bestowed from above."¹⁰

Wings are frequently observed in coats of arms. Unless otherwise specified they should be shown as eagle’s wings, with a realistic appearance.¹¹ They can appear singly or in pairs, in which form they are very often found in the crest, which rests above the shield in a full achievement of arms. Wade, quoting Quillim, suggests that the use of the wing on the shield signifies "celerity and protection or covering." ¹²

Heraldry is a human art, by and for people and it is not surprising that people themselves are frequently depicted in arms. ¹³ Often these are images of knights and men-at-arms, or individual limbs, including hands conjoined. It will come as no surprise that the use of this device is said to denote "union and alliance."¹⁴

Note from webmaster: Pictured above is just one of many examples of Day coats of arms. This one represents William Day (bishop of Winchester) and his brother. Other lines, and descendants, and other completely different Day people had many variations on these arms which were granted in 1582. To see more information on Day coats of arms, please see Day Family Research and Day Heraldry. Many thanks to John Day for his clarification!

Day Origin:

England, Ireland

Origins of Name:

The surname of Day has two possible origins from which it derives. The first of these possible origins is that it derives from the personal name "David" which was one of the most popular personal names in the British Isles during the Middle Ages. The personal name of David is derived from the Hebrew word which is translated to mean "beloved." This surname derives from the personal name of David, which was a biblical name that was part of a group of these names introduced into Europe from the Hold Land by the famous crusaders of the 12th Century. The personal name of David was popularized during this time because of King David of Israel, and later throughout history because St. David is the Patron Saint of Wales. In Scotland, this name is also popularized because of the two kings of Scotland who bore the personal name of David. David I, King of Scotland, reigned from the year 1124 to the year 1153, while David II ruled from the year 1329 to the year 1371. This name comes from the Old English Pre 7th Century "Daei" which comes from the word "daeg" which can be translated to mean day. This name surname may also be a shortened version of the personal names "Daegberht" and "Daegmund" which can be translated to mean "day-bright" and "day-protection."

Variations:

More common variations are:

Daye, Deay, Daiy, Dawy, Daay, Daoy, Dayo, Daya, Dayi, Duay, Daw, Dey

Notable People:

Ann Day (1938-2016) who was a Member of the Arizona State Senate in the 12th District, and was elected in the year 1998, who was also a Republican politician from America

William W. Day, who was a Dry Candidate for the Delegate of the New York Convention to ratify the 21st Amendment in the year 1933, and who was a politician from America

William S. Day who was the Mayor of Boca Raton, Florida from the year 1952 to the year 1953, and then was re-elected for the year 1954, and was a politician from America

William S. Day, who was the Postmaster at Rockville, Maryland from the year 1915 to the year 1916 and was a Democratic politician from America

William Rufus Day (1849-1923) who was the Secretary of State in the year 1898, served as a Judge of U.S. Court Appeals from the year 1899 to the year 1903, was a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from the year 1903 to the year 1922

Note from webmaster: See more notable people on the Links page.

References

1. Boutell’s Heraldry, J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne, (revised Edition) London 1970, P 26
2. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P150
3. Understanding Signs & Symbols – Heraldry, S. Oliver & G. Croton, Quantum, London, 2013, P53
4. A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1847, P11
5. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P36
6. Understanding Signs & Symbols – Heraldry, S. Oliver & G. Croton, Quantum, London, 2013, P53
7. A Complete Guide to Heraldry, A.C. Fox-Davies, Bonanza (re-print of 1909 Edition), New York, 1978, P77
8. Boutell’s Heraldry, J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne, (revised Edition) London 1970, P 97
9. A Display of Heraldry, J. Guillim, Blome, London, 1679, P107
10. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P105
11. A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1894, Entry:Wing
12. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P73
13. Understanding Signs & Symbols – Heraldry, S. Oliver & G. Croton, Quantum, London, 2013, P174
14. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P92