Show ContentsDarlingtun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Darlingtun name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the lands of Darlington which originally derived from Deorling's farm or manor. 1

Early Origins of the Darlingtun family

The surname Darlingtun was first found in Durham at Darlington, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the S. E. division of Darlington ward.

"This place, the name of which is of Saxon derivation, is of considerable antiquity, and towards the close of the tenth century was, with its dependencies, granted by Seir, son of Ulphus, in the presence of King Ethelred and Archbishop Wulston, to St. Cuthbert, patron of the see of Durham, of which Aldune was then bishop. " 2

John of Darlington (d. 1284), an Englishman was Archbishop of Dublin and theologian, "whose name suggests that either he or his family came from Darlington. He became a Dominican friar, and it is probable that he studied at Paris at the Dominican priory of St. James. " 3

Early History of the Darlingtun family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Darlingtun research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1281 and 1296 are included under the topic Early Darlingtun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Darlingtun Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Darlingtun include Darlington, Derlington, Darlingtone, Derlingtone and many more.

Early Notables of the Darlingtun family

More information is included under the topic Early Darlingtun Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Darlingtun family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Darlingtun or a variant listed above: James Darlington who settled in Maryland in 1739; Joseph Darlington arrived in Philadelphia in 1856; Abraham and John Darlington settled in Pennsylvania in 1711.



The Darlingtun 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: Cruce dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: Whilst I have breath my hope is in the cross.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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