| ![Show Contents]() Dondon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of DondonWhat does the name Dondon mean? The Anglo-Norman surname Dondon comes from the Norman de Auno, which can be equated with the surname Dando and its variants in England. 1 It is a toponymic derived from the place name Aunou, the modern day French department of Orne. 2 The place name itself comes from the French for alder-grove, "aunaie," the Latin for which is "alnetum" hence the very early variant d'Alneto. Early Origins of the Dondon familyThe surname Dondon was first found in Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where the family settled in the 13th century. 1 While the surname is rare in England, 3 it is generally thought that the family came from Compton Dundon, a parish, in the union of Langport, hundred of Whitley in West Somerset. 4 This parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first registered as Dondeme. 5 By 1236, the parish was known as Dunden and literally meant "valley by the hill" from the Old English "dun." 6 Today, this locale is the home to Dundon Hill Hillfort, an Iron Age hillfort, sometimes called Dundon Beacon, which stands out prominently in the flat country of King's Sedgemoor. How the family emigrated to Ireland remains a mystery, but one may presume as they landed after Strongbow's invasions, they were offered native Irish lands for settlement. Dondon Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Dondon, Dundon, de Auno, d'Alneto and others. Early Notables of the Dondon familyMore information is included under the topic Early Dondon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Dondon migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Dondon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Hanes Dondon, who settled in Maryland in 1789
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: Essayez
Motto Translation: Try.
- MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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