Door History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Door comes from the kingdom of Dalriada in ancient Scotland. It was a name 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 Door family

The surname Door 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 Door family

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

Door Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Door has appeared as Dorman, Dorward, Doorman, Durward and others.

Early Notables of the Door family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Door Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Door family to Ireland

Some of the Door 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.

Door migration to the United States +

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Door or a variant listed above:

Door Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jenlis Door, aged 33, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Valentine Door, who landed in South Carolina in 1749 2

Door migration to Australia +

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

Door Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Margaret Door, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Harry Lorrequer" in 1849 3

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)
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) HARRY LORREQUER 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849HarryLorrequer.htm