The spelling and overall form of Irish names tend to vary widely over time. The original Gaelic form of the name Doelittle is Ó Dubhlachta. Dubh, the first portion of this name, means black, while the second portion is likely derived from some obsolete Irish forename. 1
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Early Origins of the Doelittle family
The surname Doelittle was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
In England, the first record of the family was found in Rutland, where Hugo Dolitel was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1204. Later, Walter Dolitle was found in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219 and John Do Littel was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275. 2
The fictional Eliza Doolittle appears in the play Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw in 1912. This famous play was adapted into the film My Fair Lady.
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Early History of the Doelittle family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doelittle research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1631, 1632, 1707 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Doelittle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Doelittle Spelling Variations
Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Doelittle revealed many variations, including Doolittle, Dolittle, Dulittle, Doelittle and others.
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Early Notables of the Doelittle family
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Doelittle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Doelittle family
Under the rule of England, land ownership in Ireland changed dramatically, and many native Irish families found themselves renting out land to farm from absentee owners. This was one of the prime reasons that immigration to North America began in the late 18th century: Irish farmers dreamed of owning their own parcel of land to work for themselves. At this point, the immigrants were at least of modest means for the passage across the Atlantic was often quite dear. In the 1840s the Great Potato Famine created an exodus of people of quite different means. These people were most often destitute: they either sold anything they had to gain a passage or they were sponsored by philanthropic societies. Many of these immigrants were sick from disease and starvation: as a result many did not survive the long transatlantic journey. Although those settlers that did survive were often despised and discriminated against by people already established in these nations, they were critical to rapid development of the powerful industrial nations of the United States and the country that would later become known as Canada. An examination of immigration and passenger lists shows many persons bearing the name of Doelittle or one of its variants: John Doolittle of Lynn Massachusetts who settled there in 1643 and became Constable of Boston; Abraham Doolittle who settled in Wallingford and had many children, descendants settled in the town of Northfield Massachusetts and Belchertown New Britain, Connecticut, Winchester Conn. Torrington Conn..
Ireland
England
