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Doll History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Sources

Doll History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Ireland

Etymology of Doll

What does the name Doll mean?

The spelling and overall form of Irish names often vary considerably. The original Gaelic form of the name Doll is Ó Dubhghaill, derived from the words dubh, which means black, and ghall, which means foreigner, or "dubhgall," which meant "dark and tall." 1

Early Origins of the Doll family

The surname Doll was first found in the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, and Carlow. Although the name is now common throughout Ireland, it has always retained a close association with these southeastern Leinster counties. Although at least one historian gives their descent from Dubhgilla, King of Idrone in Leinster, more evidence points to descent from King Conn of the "Hundred Battles." His name comes from the hundreds of battles he fought and won, before his death in the 2nd century.

It is traditionally believed that the family takes its name from a Norseman who settled in Ireland prior to the Norman Conquest; a theory that is borne out by the fact that the Doyles tended to be more concentrated in the coastal regions favored by Norse settlers. Moreover, the Gaelic word dubhghall was used in early times to refer to a Norseman or Scandinavian. With the settlement of Norsemen in various places, several distinct septs called O Dubhghail probably arose independently. 2

Early History of the Doll family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doll research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1786, 1797, 1834, 1868, 1873 and 1917 are included under the topic Early Doll History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doll Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, a standardized literary language known by the general population of Ireland was a thing of fiction. When a person's name was recorded by one of the few literate scribes, it was up that particular scribe to decide how to spell an individual's name. So a person could have several spelling variations of his name recorded during a single lifetime. Research into the name Doll revealed many variations, including Doyle, O'Doyle, Doyill, Doill, Doile, Doyel and others.

Early Notables of the Doll family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Doll Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doll Ranking

In the United States, the name Doll is the 3,882^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3

Doll migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Doll or a variant listed above:

Doll Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Doll, aged 25, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" coming via St. Domingo 4

Doll Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Adam Doll, who landed in New York in 1709 4
Anna Catharina Doll, who arrived in America in 1727 4
Christian Doll, who landed in Carolina in 1737 4
Christn Doll, aged 25, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737 4
Johannes Peter Doll, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1737 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Doll Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George A Doll, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 4
K V Doll, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 4
George Doll, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1835 4
Philipp Doll, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 4
Philippine Doll, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Doll Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Seravinna Doll, aged 4, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 4
Nintel Doll, aged 14, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 4
Elisabeth Doll, aged 40, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 4
Ewa Doll, aged 8, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 4
Jacob Doll, who settled in North Dakota in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Doll migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Doll Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Jacob Doll, who landed in Manitoba in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Doll (post 1700) +

William D. Doll, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1940, 1944 (alternate)
William Doll, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Sullivan and Ulster counties, 1817-18
Robert B. Doll, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1960, 1964
Tracy M. Doll (1897-1970), American Democratic Party politician, Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1945-46, 1949-50; Defeated, 1946 (Wayne County 1st District), 1950 (Wayne County 1st District), 1964 (4th District)
Rob Doll, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 2008
Louis W. Doll, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Bay County, 1961; Candidate for Michigan State Senate 24th District, 1962
Lewis H. Doll, American politician, Mayor of Frederick, Maryland, 1889-90
Ken Doll, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from West Virginia 1st District, 1970; Delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1972
Henry W. Doll, American Democratic Party politician, Real estate business; Member of New York State Assembly from New York County 14th District, 1902-03; Member of New York State Senate 12th District, 1915-16
George Doll, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 5th District, 1933
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Doll Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fortitudine Vincit
Motto Translation: He conquers by fortitude.

Sources +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)