| ![Show Contents]() Dornier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany The Dornier family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Dornier is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Dornier was given to someone who lived near a thorn-bush or hedge. The surname Dornier is derived from the German word dorn, which means thorn. Thus, the name was adopted by a person who lived near thorn bushes. The name Dornier also was used by people from Dornach, which is a town located near Munich in Bavaria. There is also a town named Dörnach in Tübingen, Westphalia and a city named Thorn (which is now Torun) in Poland. In Bavaria, the Dornier family lived on a feudal estate. Land proprietorship and management were the sole source of wealth and power in the Middle Ages and the Dornier family, as noble landowners, became prestigious members of the landed aristocracy. Early Origins of the Dornier familyThe surname Dornier was first found in Bavaria, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society. Early History of the Dornier familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dornier research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1584, 1738, 1804, 1809, 1824, 1825 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Dornier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dornier Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Dornier include Dorn, Dorner, Doorn, Doern, Dorne, Dorns and others. Early Notables of the Dornier familyProminent among members of the name Dornier in this period include Gerhard Dorn (c. 1530-1584), a Belgian philosopher, translator, alchemist, physician and bibliophile; and Isaac August Dorner (1809-1884), an important Lutheran theologian.Heinrich Ludwig Edmund Dorn was a very considerable musician of modern Germany, born at Königsberg, Prussia, Nov. 14, 1804. His turn for music showed itself early, and was duly encouraged and assisted, but not so as to interfere with his general education. He went through...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dornier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dornier RankingIn France, the name Dornier is the 5,388th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 1 Migration of the Dornier familyThe great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: Christian Dorn, age 35; settled in Charles Town, South Carolina in 1766; Daniel Dorn settled in New Jersey in 1763; Godfrey Dorn settled in Philadelphia in 1842.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Dornier (post 1700) | + |
- Claudius Dornier (1884-1969), German airplane builder and founder of Dornier GmbH
- Jacques Louis Dornier, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 2
- Brigadier-General Clément Dornier (1881-1975), French Commanding Officer during World War II 3
| Historic Events for the Dornier family | + |
- Mr. Louis Auguste Dornier (d. 1912), aged 20, English Asst. Fish Cook from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 4
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