Show ContentsDines History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Dines is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dines family lived in Surrey. However, there is no agreed upon origin for this name, so we will take a moment to explore the various qualified sources and summarize their thoughts.

Reaney postulates the name was perhaps from Old French word "digne" or "dein," meaning "worthy or honorable." He also postulated that the name could have been from "digne," meaning "haughty, reserved." 1

Charnock notes the name could be from "De Dine, and it is probably derived from locality; perhaps from Digne (Dinia), a walled town of France." 2

Mark Antony Lower notes the name was "Anciently Dine. Might come from the French digne, worthy. There is a statement, however, I know not of what authority, that the family were identical with the Dyves, who came into England from Normandy with the Conqueror." 3

Harrison believes the name was from "the French Dion, an abbrev. of Latin Dionys(i)us." 4

Bardsley believes the name was related to "a geographical locality, 'at the dane' or 'dean' " or perhaps 'at the Dene' 5

Burke weighs in thusly and adds other authority's thoughts: "An alteration in Domesday Book itself from de Dingy to Dive has led to the future confusion as to this name. Sir F. Palgrave, in his work on public records, describing Henry de Dyne, temp. Henry III., says, this name is sometimes written de Dive, and Dugdale uses the two indiscriminately. This family were actively engaged in the contests of the barons with Kings John and Henry III.; and at the final subjection of the latter, Windsor Castle and Forest were committed to Hugo de-Dyne. They have held grants downwards from the conquest, one of them to Robereus dyns, by King Stephen, continued to them to the time of Cromwell's rebellion, when, in the hands of Sir Louis de Dyve, half-brother to Lord Digby, secretary of state to Charles I., it was confiscated by the parliament. " 6

Early Origins of the Dines family

The surname Dines was first found in Surrey where Robert le Dine was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1201. A few years later, again in Surrey, Richard le Digne was found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1222 and later again, Gilbert le Dyne, Dynes was found in Yorkshire in 1275 and 1284. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcester included a listing for Nicholas Dain in 1275. 1

"The family, however, still surviving as holders of estates in Kent and Sussex, were allowed the hereditary arms during the rebellion in the name of Dyne or Dyve de Battersden, Kent, and had the same confirmed to them when scrutiny after the restoration of the Sussex visitation, 1662. The name is now represented in Kent by F. Bradley Dyne, Esq., of Gore Court, who still holds lands at Bethersden. The Sussex property passed to the Briscoes now of Coghurst, the grandfather of the present Musgrave Briscoe, Esq., having married the daughter and heiress of Edward Dyne, Esq., of Coghurst, Sussex." 6

Early History of the Dines family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dines research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1352, 1377, 1383, 1397, 1412, 1413, 1414, 1768, 1772, 1779, 1784 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Dines History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dines Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Dines family name include Dyne, Dine, Dives, Dynne, Dinne, Dyves, Dyon and others.

Early Notables of the Dines family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Nicholas Dyne (fl. 1352) of East Grinstead; John Dyne I (died 1412/1413), who owned land in the Kentish hundreds of Hayne, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Hythe (1377-1397); and his son, John Dyne II (fl. 1383-1414), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Hythe (1383-1414); and Sir John Dyne.John Dyne was a a distinguished alto...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dines Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Dines migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Dines family to immigrate North America:

Dines Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Rose Dines, who landed in Maryland in 1661 7
  • William Dines, who landed in Virginia in 1666 7
Dines Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Quintin Dines, who arrived in Texas in 1830 7
  • Hugh Dines, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 7
  • Elizabeth Dines, aged 50, who settled in America, in 1895
Dines Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ferencz Dines, aged 27, who landed in America, in 1905
  • Dora Dines, aged 15, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
  • Frederich H. Dines, aged 22, who immigrated to America from Barking, England, in 1907
  • Ernest Dines, aged 44, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1907
  • Dona Dines, aged 35, who landed in America, in 1913
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Dines migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dines Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Theodore Dines, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1899

Australia Dines migration to Australia +

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

Dines Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William James Dines who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
  • Richard Dines, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "John Renwick" in 1837 9
  • Thomas Dines, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "John Renwick" in 1837 9

New Zealand Dines 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:

Dines Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • D. Dines, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "William Fruing" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Dines (post 1700) +

  • Thomas A. Dines, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1948 10
  • T. S. Dines, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Missouri, 1892 10
  • J. A. Dines, American politician, Mayor of Tempe, Arizona, 1903-12, 1916-20 10
  • Allen Dines (b. 1921), American politician, Member of Colorado State House of Representatives, 1957-66; Speaker of the Colorado State House of Representatives, 1965-66 10
  • Joseph Frank Dines (1886-1918), English gold medalist footballer at the 1912 Summer Olympic
  • John Somers Dines (1885-1980), English meteorologist
  • Peter Leslie 'Dino" Dines (1944-2004), English keyboardist, best known for his work with T. Rex
  • Alberto Dines (1932-2018), Brazilian journalist and writer
  • Devitt Whitton "Dev" Dines, Australian rugby league player who played in the 1950s
  • Philip Joseph Griff Dines (b. 1959), British former Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  7. 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)
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN RENWICK 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837JohnRenwick.htm
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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