Show ContentsDerrington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Derrington reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Derrington family lived in Kent, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Derrington family

The surname Derrington was first found in Kent where the family claim descendancy from "Norman de Morinis, whose ancestor, Vitalis FitzOsbert, lived in the reign of Henry II. Norman de Morinis married the daughter of Deringus, descended from the Norman Fitz-Dering, Sheriff of this county in King Stephens' reign. " 1

Derrington is a village west of the town of Stafford, in Staffordshire. The village dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Dodintone and literally meant "estate associated with a man called Dod(d)a or Dud(d)a" from the Old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." 2

Early History of the Derrington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Derrington research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1540, 1576, 1598, 1610, 1617, 1625, 1629, 1636, 1644, 1650, 1658, 1660, 1662, 1670, 1679, 1684, 1685, 1689, 1695, 1711, 1713 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Derrington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derrington Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Derrington family name include Dering, Deareing, Dearing, Deering, Derringer and many more.

Early Notables of the Derrington family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Edward Dering (1540?-1576), English Puritan divine who was descended from an ancient and still existing Kentish family, which claims to be of Saxon origin, was the third son of John Dering, Esq., of Surrenden-Dering, Kent. 3Sir Anthony Dering of Surrenden Dering in Pluckley, Kent (d.1636) was an early peer. His son, Sir Edward Dering (1598-1644), was an English antiquary and politician, Member of Parliament for Hythe and Kent (1629), also known for his Dering Roll, a 13th century Roll of arms, believed to be the earliest surviving English roll of arms currently owned...
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Derrington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Derrington family to Ireland

Some of the Derrington family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Derrington family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Derrington family to immigrate North America: Thomas Deering, who arrived in Virginia in 1638; Samuel Deering, who settled in Braintree, MA in 1649; Sarah Dearing, who settled in Boston in 1679; Edmund Deering, who settled in Virginia in 1653.


Contemporary Notables of the name Derrington (post 1700) +

  • Bob Derrington (b. 1930), American former NASCAR Grand National Series race car driver, active from 1964 to 1966
  • Charles James Derrington (b. 1939), nicknamed "Blackie", an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Chicago White Sox in the 1956-1957 season
  • Edwin Henry Derrington (1830-1899), English-born immigrant to Australia from Birmingham, Warwickshire, who emigrated in 1853 and rose to become a journalist and politician in colonial South Australia
  • John Anthony Derrington CBE, FREng (1921-2008), British civil engineer, fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Royal Academy of Engineering


  1. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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