Recorded in several forms including Daborn, Dabourne, Daburn, and Dayborne, this is an English surname. It is locational from a now "lost" medieval village, of which the only memory in the 20th century is the surviving surname in its various spellings. As to which or indeed any, is the correct one can only be guessed at, but it would seem to derive from the pre 7th century words "dael burna" or valley stream, or possibly "Daegels burna" with Daegel being an early personal name. It is estimated that at least three thousand surnames of the British Isles originate from lost places, so whilst still unusual, it is not by any means unique. In the period to the 17th century the country was regularly visited by appalling plagues which decimated many places. In addition at the time the on coming Industrial Revolution brought changes in the countryside particularly with the need to breed sheep. These animals required far fewer workers than the previous arable farming, which again had a further effect of diminishing the population of the countryside. In this case the surname is well recorded in the diocese of Greater London from the time of King Henry V111 (1510 - 1547). One of the earliest of all surname recordings in surviving chuch registers is that of Joane Daborne, who married William Allen at St Leonards church, eastcheap, on August 11th 1539.

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