Darwin Family History

from the Old English personal name Deorwine, composed of the elements deor ‘dear’ + wine ‘friend’. This name is attested in the 10th century, but it was not common; nevertheless it may have survived long enough to become a Middle English personal name and so given rise to the surname. habitational name from Darwen in Lancashire, named from the Darwin river (earlier Derwent) on which it stands. This seems to be a British name derived from a word meaning ‘oak’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press