Contents [hide]

Dorman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Dorman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Switzerland
Ireland

The story of the name Dorman reaches back through Scottish history to the kingdom of Dalriada. The name evolved for a person who worked as 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 Dorman family

The surname Dorman 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 Dorman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dorman 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 Dorman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dorman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are the result of the medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English. Many spelling variations of Dorman have been recorded over the years, including Dorman, Dorward, Doorman, Durward and others.

Early Notables of the Dorman family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

Thomas Dorman (c. 1572), an English Catholic theologian and author. He was born at Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire where the cost of his education being defrayed by his uncle, Thomas Dorman of Agmondesha...

Dorman Ranking

In the United States, the name Dorman is the 2,368^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Dorman family to Ireland

Some of the Dorman 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.

Dorman migration to the United States +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Dormans to arrive in North America:

Dorman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Dorman, who arrived in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1635
William Dorman, who landed in Virginia in 1638 3
Edmund Dorman, who settled in New Haven, Conn. in 1639
Edmund Dorman, who arrived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1639 3
John Dorman, who settled in Virginia in 1648
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dorman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Dorman, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Kasen Dorman, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3

Dorman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Margaret Dorman, aged 62, who landed in New York, NY in 1805 3
Margaret Dorman, who arrived in America in 1805 3
Geo Dorman, who landed in America in 1805 3
Margaret Dorman, age 62, who arrived in New York, NY in 1805
William Dorman, aged 15, who arrived in New York in 1812 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dorman migration to Australia +

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

Dorman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Dorman a miner, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bussorah Merchant" in 1848 4
John Dorman, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Fatima" 5

Dorman 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:

Dorman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Sophia Dorman, (b. 1858), aged 10 months, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Regina" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1859 6
Mr. Diedrick Dorman, (b. 1831), aged 28, British labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Regina" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1859 6
Mrs. Adelaide Dorman, (b. 1833), aged 26, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Regina" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1859 6
Mr. John Dorman, (b. 1852), aged 7, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Regina" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th December 1859 6
William M. Dorman, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Telegraph" in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Dorman (post 1700) +

Isaiah Dorman (1820-1876), American former slave and interpreter for the United States Army during the Indian Wars
Sonya Dorman (1924-2005), pen name of Sonya Dorman Hess, American poet
Samantha Dorman, American model and actress
Peter Fitzgerald Dorman (b. 1948), American epigraphist, philologist, and cultural anthropologist
Lee Dorman (b. 1942), American bass guitarist for Iron Butterfly
David Dorman (b. 1954), American telecommunications executive, former chairman and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc
Dave Dorman (b. 1958), American science fiction and fantasy illustrator, recipient of Eisner Award (1993) and Inkpot Award (2010)
John J. Dorman, 11th Fire Commissioner of the City of New York
Micheal Lowy Dorman, New York journalist and author
Robert "Bob" Dorman (1859-1937), Irish socialist activist
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BUSSORAH MERCHANT 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848BussorahMerchant.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque FATIMA 1850, 521 tons. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Fatima.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html