The surname Dove has several origins. In some cases the surname is derived from the Middle English dove ("dove"), which is in turn derived from the Old English dūfe ("dove"), or possibly sometimes the Old Norse dúfa ("dove"). In this way, this surname originated as a nickname for a gentle person, or an occupational name for a person who worked with doves. In some cases, the surname Dove originated from the fact that the Middle English word was also used as a masculine and feminine personal name.
The surname Dove is also sometimes an Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic MacCalmáin. The surname Dove is also sometimes a variant spelling of the surname Duff (a surname of multiple etymological origins). The surname Dove is also sometimes derived from the Middle Low German dōf, and originated as a nickname for a deaf man.