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Dimmock History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Dimmock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Dimmock family, who lived in Gloucestershire. The name is derived from the local of Dymock, a village in this county.

Dymock was the home of the Dymock poets (1911 to 1914) that included Robert Frost, Lascelles Abercrombie, Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas, Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, and John Drinkwater. The homes of Robert Frost and Wilfrid Wilson Gibson can still be seen there today. It is thought that the family first lived at Knight's Green, an area just outside of the village of Dymock. A reference in 1848 listed the village as having 1776 inhabitants, but today there are fewer than 300. 1

Early Origins of the Dimmock family

The surname Dimmock was first found in Gloucestershire where the village and parish of Dymock dates back to before the Norman Conquest. According to the Domesday Book, Dymock was held by King Edward at that time and was part of the Botloe hundred. It goes on to mention that King William held it in demesne for 4 years and after that, Earl William held it followed by his son Roger. It was sizable as there was land there for 41 ploughs and a priest held another 12 acres at the time. 2

Today the village comprises over 7,000 acres. The name Dymock was possibly derived from the Celtic word "din" which meant "fort" 3

Another reference claims that name was derived from the Saxon words "dim" for dark, + "ac" for oak, in other words "dark oak." 1 Remains can still be seen of an ancient hall in Howell, Lincolnshire, the seat of the Dymoke family at one time. 1

One of the first on record was Roger Dymock (fl. 1395), an early English theologian who studied at Oxford, and there proceeded to the degree of doctor in divinity. 4

Sir John Dymoke (d. 1381), was the Kng's Champion, or Champion of England, "whose functions were confined to the performance of certain ceremonial duties at coronations, is stated to have been the son of John Dymoke, by his wife, Felicia Harevill. The family has been variously traced to the village of the name in Gloucestershire and to the Welsh borders near Herefordshire. The importance of Sir John and of his descendants was due to his marriage with Margaret (b. 1325), daughter of Thomas de Ludlow (b. 1300). " 4

Early History of the Dimmock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dimmock research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1381, 1428, 1469, 1471, 1500, 1531, 1546, 1566 and 1580 are included under the topic Early Dimmock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dimmock Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Dymoke, Dymock, Dimock, Dimoke and others.

Early Notables of the Dimmock family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Dymoke (died 1381), held the manor of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire; Margaret Dymoke (ca.1500-?), of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII of England; Sir Edward Dymoke, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire (d. 1566), Hereditary King's Champion; Robert Dymoke, Dymock or Dymocke, of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire (1531-1580), Queen's Champion of England; and Sir...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dimmock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dimmock migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dimmock or a variant listed above:

Dimmock Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Dimmock who settled in Massachusetts in 1630
Thomas Dimmock, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1635 5

Dimmock migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dimmock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Dimmock, English convict who was convicted in Buckinghamshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 25th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
William Dimmock, English convict from Bucks, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 7
Mary Dimmock, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on October 4, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 8

Dimmock migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dimmock Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Dimmock, (b. 1852), aged 22, English settler from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Sussex" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th July 1874 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Dimmock (post 1700) +

Fred N. Dimmock, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Waterford, 1918 10
Peter Harold Dimmock CBE, CVO (1920-2015), British sports broadcaster and television executive, first host of the BBC's Grandstand and BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards

Historic Events for the Dimmock family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Donald Charles Dimmock (1922-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 11

HMS Repulse

Mr. Stanley Dimmock, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 12

The Dimmock 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: Pro Rege et lege Dimico
Motto Translation: Fight for King and Law.

Citations +

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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1851 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1851
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html