jackdaw (English)

Where does "jackdaw" come from?

The word 'jackdaw' is a compound that blends a descriptive name for the bird with a common nickname. 'Daw' traces back to the Proto-Germanic *dēhǭ and beyond to the Proto-Indo-European *dʰēk-, likely an imitative root meant to capture the bird's distinct calls. Over time, this was paired with 'jack,' a name often used to denote commonality or smallness, resulting in the name we use today for this clever member of the crow family.

Full etymology tree

• jackdaw (English), 'A bird of the genus Coloeus, similar in appearance to crows and found within the same family; associated with church towers and ruins, where it frequently likes to nest.'
  • compound jack (English), 'A coarse medieval coat of defence, especially one made of leather.'
    • inherited jakke (Middle English), 'A padded coat, especially as light armour.'
      • borrowed Jacques (Old French)
  • compound daw (English), 'A western jackdaw, Coloeus monedula, a passerine bird in the crow family (Corvidae), more commonly called jackdaw.'
    • inherited dawe (Middle English), 'alternative form of dawen'
      • inherited dāwe (Old English)
        • inherited *dāhwā (Proto-West Germanic), 'jackdaw'
          • inherited *dēhǭ (Proto-Germanic), 'jackdaw'
            • inherited *dʰēk- (Proto-Indo-European)

Direct ancestors

• jack (English)
• daw (English)
• dēhǭ (Proto-Germanic)
• doacke (Old Prussian)
• Dohle (German)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris