Family name origins & meanings
- Of uncertain origin; probably an Anglicized form of a French Huguenot name.
- According to family historians, the name Defoe or Dafoe was brought to North America from Switzerland in 1709 by a certain Daniel Dafoe, alias Deffu, Thevou, or Thevoz. A burgher family named Thevoz has lived in Missy, Vaud canton, Switzerland, since at least 1458.