Dare
Usually a shortened or variant form of an old personal-name element meaning “deer” or “wild animal,” though some bearers may come from other local or surname developments.
The #9,368 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 88,924 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname is most plausibly connected with an Old English personal-name element found in forms such as Deor, Diar, and Dyre, which meant “deer” or more broadly “wild animal.” Later spelling and pronunciation changes could reduce this to Dare in some cases. The name may also have been influenced by Middle English or Anglo-Norman spelling habits, so more than one pathway is possible.
History
Bardsley’s citations show Dare in medieval Somerset, which supports an early English presence. Barber also treats Dare alongside related forms such as Dyer, suggesting a surname history tied to old nickname or personal-name forms rather than a single modern word. The name is uncommon in modern Britain and the United States, but it has persisted in several spelling variants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname studies, Dare was often discussed beside Dyer because historical spellings could overlap in ways that make the exact origin hard to pin down.
From the historical record
“1634: ibid. I dare not say this surname is extinct in England, for 1 find one in Crockford ; see, however, Ans- kettle and Arkettle. Philadelphia, c^ 4 ; CrDckfon^ o, t.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances