Show ContentsDinwoodie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Dinwoodie family

The surname Dinwoodie was first found in Dumfriesshire at Dinwoodie in the parish of Applegarth 1 where one of the first records of the name was Sir Alan de Dunwidi was listed as seneschal (a royal officer in charge of justice) of Annandale in the first quarter of the thirteenth century. Adam de Dunwidie witnessed a claim of lands (c. 1194-1214.) Years later, Alan Dinwoodie rendered homage in 1296 to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland. 2

Early History of the Dinwoodie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dinwoodie research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1194, 1200, 1590, 1639, 1751, 1753, 1754, 1758, 1770 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dinwoodie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dinwoodie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dinwoodie, Dinwiddie, Dinswoodie, Dunwoodie, Dinwoody, Dinwiddy, Dinswoody, Dunwoody, Dinwoodey, Dinwiddey, Dunwordy, Dunswoodie, Dunswoody, Dunswoodey, Dimswoodie, Dimswoody, Dunswoddy, Dinswoddy, Dinswudy, Dimswudy, Dinwudy and many more.

Early Notables of the Dinwoodie family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Robert Dinwiddie (1639-1770), from Glasgow, was Lieutenant Governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758. Some claim that his actions in trying to protect the French expansion into the Ohio Country, an area held by the Ohio Company, of which he was a stockholder may have precipitated the French and Indian War. In 1753, he sent a young George Washington, aged 21 to warn the French to withdraw from their recently built Fort Presque Isle near Lake Erie. Washington was sent back with a letter to Dinwiddie informing him that he should raise...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dinwoodie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Dinwoodie family to Ireland

Some of the Dinwoodie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Dinwoodie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dinwoodie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Dinwoodie, who descended from an early pioneer, and became Governor of Virginia 1751-1758 and was responsible for the annexation of the Ohio Valley into the North American settlement, later to become Ohio State in the United States of America

Contemporary Notables of the name Dinwoodie (post 1700) +

  • David W. Dinwoodie (b. 1961), American anthropologist who specializes in the Chilcotin First Nation in British Columbia, Canada
  • Elaine Dinwoodie, Scottish politician
  • Steve Dinwoodie, English bass player, known for his work in the British heavy metal band Marseille
  • John Dinwoodie (1841-1916), also known as John Hamilton, an Australian politician, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Gympie (1878-1883), an early settler to Victoria, his photograph appears on The Explorers and Early Colonists of Victoria is a historical photographic montage of 1872
  • Wing Commander Hubert Dinwoodie GC, OBE, MC (1896-1968), New Zealand recipient of the George Cross for the heroism he displayed on 20 August 1946 in defusing bombs in the port of Lübeck

Empress of Ireland
  • Miss Agnes Ethel Dinwoodie (d. 1914), British Stewardess from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 3


The Dinwoodie 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: Ubi Libertas Ibi Patrium
Motto Translation: Where liberty prevails there is my country.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 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)
  3. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html


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