Show ContentsDormon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Dormon

What does the name Dormon mean?

The name Dormon was first used centuries ago in the region that was once the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. It was a name for a door attendant. The name is also a nickname type of surname derived from the Old English word deore, which means "beloved", and "man"

Early Origins of the Dormon family

The surname Dormon was first found in Fife, the name Dorman is derived from the word door-ward. This official hereditary position involved being the door attendant to the King of Scotland. The office of door-ward to the king was a very honorable one and was passed on in the powerful family of de Lundin Fife. The first who took his name from this office was Thomas de Lundyn in 1204. His son, Alan Durward, was one of the greatest names in Scottish history in the thirteenth century. 1

Early History of the Dormon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dormon research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1228, 1452, 1478, 1511, 1572, 1636 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dormon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dormon Spelling Variations

Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents Dormon has been spelled Dorman, Dorward, Doorman, Durward and others.

Early Notables of the Dormon family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dormon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dormon family to Ireland

Some of the Dormon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dormon migration to the United States +

These settlers arrived in North America at a time when the east was burgeoning with prosperous colonies and the expanses of the west were just being opened up. The American War of Independence was also imminent. Some Scots stayed to fight for a new country, while others who remained loyal went north as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of them went on to rediscover their heritage in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic Scottish events. The Dormon were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Dormon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Henrich Dormon, aged 24, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 2


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. 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)


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