Contents [hide]

Dillon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Dillon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Ireland

The surname is one of the Anglo-Norman names that arrived in Ireland in the wake of the 12th century invasion by Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. The surname Dillon belongs to the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Originally, these place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. The name of the Dillon family comes from the name of the town of Lyon in central France. In France, the name may also have been a nickname for a fierce or brave warrior, as derived from the Old French word "lion," which meant "lion." The Irish Gaelic form of the surname Dillon is Diolún.

Early Origins of the Dillon family

The surname Dillon was first found in at Drumrany in County Westmeath (Irish: An Iarmhí) in the Irish Midlands, province of Leinster, where they were the Barons of Drumrany. The Dillon family is descended from Sir Henry de Leon, a member of a noble Breton family who came to Ireland in 1185, in the service of the Earl of Morton, who later became King John. For de Leon's service, King John granted him MacCarrons territory, part of Annaly, and other vast possessions, including a castle at Dunimon.

Early History of the Dillon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dillon research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1533, 1572, 1605, 1610, 1615, 1624, 1627, 1629, 1630, 1633, 1642, 1649, 1652, 1672, 1674, 1682, 1685, 1689, 1691, 1713, 1715 and 1794 are included under the topic Early Dillon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dillon Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations of the name Dillon that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: Dillon, Delion, Dilune, Dilon, Dylon, Dillan, Dillen and many more.

Early Notables of the Dillon family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

Sir Bartholomew Dillon (died 1533), a leading Irish judge who held the offices of Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and Lord Justice of Ireland. Hewas born at Riverston, County Meath. Theobald Dillon...
Lucas Dillon, 2nd Viscount Dillon (1610-1629)
Theobald Dillon, 3rd Viscount Dillon (1629-1630)
Thomas Dillon, 4th Viscount Dillon (1615-1672)
Thomas Dillon, 5th Viscount Dillon (d. 1674)
Lucas Dillon, 6th Viscount Dillon (d. 1682)
Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon (d. 1691), supporter of King James II by raising the Dillon Regime, that became part of the Irish Brigade
James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon (d. 1642)
Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl of Roscommon (d. 1642)
James Dillon, 3rd Earl of Roscommon (c.1605-1649), one of the ten named in Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 as leaders of the Royalist forces in Ireland
Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon (c.1633-1685), Irish-born, English poet
Carey Dillon, 5th Earl of Roscommon (1627-1689)
Robert Dillon, 6th Earl of Roscommon (d. 1715)

Dillon World Ranking

In the United States, the name Dillon is the 825^th most popular surname with an estimated 37,305 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Dillon is ranked the 425^th most popular surname with an estimated 110 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Dillon is the 488^th popular surname with an estimated 7,819 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Dillon as 651^st with 1,098 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Dillon as 914^th with 7,543 people. 5

Dillon migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Dillon:

Dillon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Dillon, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1763 6
Hannah Dillon, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1796 6

Dillon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pierce N Dillon, aged 17, who arrived in New York in 1811 6
Patrick Dillon, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1815 6
Ellen Dillon, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 6
Mrs. Dillon, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 6
Alice Dillon, who settled in New York in 1820
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dillon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Agnes M. Dillon, who settled in Vermont in 1867-1937

Dillon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dillon Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Amos Dillon U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 446 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Mrs. Jane Dillon U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 533 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Miss. Jane Dillon D.U.E. (b. 1770), aged 13 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 578 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Mr. William Dillon U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 7
William Dillon who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1796 8

Dillon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Judith Dillon from County Tipperary was married at Catalina, Newfoundland in 1813 8
John Dillon, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1814 8
Moses Dillon, who settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1814
Margaret Dillon, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1822
Morgan Dillon, who settled in Joe Batts Arm, Newfoundland in 1823 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dillon migration to Australia +

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

Dillon Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Ann Dillon, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9

Dillon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Luke Dillon, Irish convict who was convicted in Roscommon, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. Thomas Dillon, (b. 1803), aged 19, Irish whitesmith who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 3rd September 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
John Dillon, a tailor, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
Miss Catherine Dillon, (b. 1793), aged 36, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 14 years for uttering forged notes, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1829 aboard the ship 12
Mr. Handy Dillon, British convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dillon 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:

Dillon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Dillon, aged 25, a carpenter, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 14
Eleanor Dillon, aged 22, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 14
Ellen Jane Dillon, aged 1, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 14
Thomas Harford Dillon, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Fifeshire" in 1842 14
Fanny Dillon, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "George Fyfe" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dillon (post 1700) +

Francis R. Dillon (1939-2023), United States Air Force brigadier general (Special Agent) who served as the 11th Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C
Brigadier-General Theodore Harwood Dillon (1884-1961), American Deputy Chief of the Transport Corps (1942-1943) 15
Major-General Joseph Vincent DePaul Dillon (1899-1971), American Air Provost Marshal, US Army Air Forces (1946-1953) 16
George Hill Dillon (1906-1968), American editor and poet awarded the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
Robert A. Dillon (1889-1944), American screenwriter and film director of the silent era
Sidney Dillon (1812-1892), President of Union Pacific Railroad from 1874 to 1884 and from 1890 until his death in 1892
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon (b. 1964), American Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated actor
Jack Dillon (1891-1942), American light heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1914
David Dillon (b. 1951), CEO and Chairman of Kroger Company
Clarence Douglas Dillon (1909-2003), American politician, 57th United States Secretary of the Treasury and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
... (Another 75 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Dillon family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. Thomas Patrick Dillon, aged 24, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 4 17

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. John Dillon (b. 1877), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died

The Dillon 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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I hope.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Theodore Dillon. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Dillon/Theodore_Harwood/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Joseph Dillon. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Dillon/Joseph_Vincent_DePaul/USA.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html