Diner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Diner is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Diner family lived in Northumberland. The family are descended in England from the Norman House of Baron Foulke de Dinan, whose surname translates as from Dinan. The name Diner derives from the abbreviated form Dinan.

Early Origins of the Diner family

The surname Diner was first found in Northumberland where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror, and were Companions in Arms to the Lords of Mitford and Bothal. Sir Alain Dinan was the scion of this family. In Brittany he was descended from Baron Foulke de Dinan, and the family still retained the Barony in Brittany from 1295 to 1509. The name in England became Dinner, Diner, and Dinar.

Early History of the Diner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diner research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Diner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diner Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Dinan, Dinner, Diner, Dinar and others.

Early Notables of the Diner family

More information is included under the topic Early Diner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Diner family to Ireland

Some of the Diner family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Diner family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Diner or a variant listed above: Christiana, Frederick, Peter and Juliana Dinner who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1764; George Dinner settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834.