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![Show Contents]() Dinsterr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestry of the name Dinsterr dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the parish of Dunster in the county of Somerset. The place-name is derived from the Old English word Dunntorr, which refers to a rocky peak. Early Origins of the Dinsterr familyThe surname Dinsterr was first found in Somerset at Dunster, home of Dunster Castle, a former motte and bailey castle, now a country house owned by the National Trust, which operates it as a tourist attraction. The location has been fortified since the late Anglo-Saxon period and the by the 11th century, William de Mohun had constructed a timber castle on the site. After the siege of Dunster Castle at the end of the English Civil War, much of the castle was destroyed but was later remodeled to fit Victorian tastes. One of the first records of the name was William de Mohun of Dunster (c.1090-c.1155) who was a favourite of Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I, and a loyal supporter of her in the war against King Stephen. He earned the epithet the "Scourge of the West"and after the war, Empress Matilda granted him the title Earl of Somerset, in 1141. His father, William was Sheriff of Somerset in 1084. Early History of the Dinsterr familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dinsterr research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1618, 1640, 1659, 1660, 1675, 1678, 1679, 1684, 1687 and 1754 are included under the topic Early Dinsterr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dinsterr Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Dinsterr have been found, including Dunster, Dunstar, Dunstarr, Dunsterr and others. Early Notables of the Dinsterr familyNotables of the family at this time include Henry Dunster (1609-1659), born in Lancashire, England, he emigrated to America in 1640 and became the first president of Harvard University. He was the son of Henry Dunster of Balehoult, Bury, Lancashire. 1
Another Henry Dunster (1618-1684), was an English merchant...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dinsterr Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Dinsterr familyFamilies began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Dinsterr, or a variant listed above: Robert Dunstarr who settled in Barbados in 1635; Catherine Dunstar settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1726; Henry Dunster settled in Cambridge Massachusetts in 1648.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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