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Doolin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Doolin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Throughout history, very few Irish surnames have exclusively maintained their original forms. Before being translated into English from Irish Gaelic, Doolin appeared as Ó Dobhailen or "Dubhshláin," which combines the Gaelic elements "Dubh," meaning dark, with "shláin," meaning challenge or defiance. [1]

Early Origins of the Doolin family

The surname Doolin was first found in Leinster, where they are believed to be descended from Eochaidh, King of Leinster, and became one of the "Seven septs of Leix."

However, the name is "fairly common to-day in Ulster - in the Catholic areas of Counties Cavan and Fermanagh - and in the Counties of Roscommon and Galway in Connacht. In the census of 1659 the name appears principally in Counties Roscommon and Fermanagh." [2]

Early History of the Doolin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doolin research. Another 39 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1834 and 1914 are included under the topic Early Doolin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doolin Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period because the general population had to rely on local official's understanding of how their name should be spelt, hence spellings in records often changed through a person's lifetime. The following variations for the name Doolin were encountered in the archives: Dolan, Doland, Dooley, Dowling, Doolin, Doolan, O'Dooley, O'Dolan, O'Doolin, Dollan, Dolland, Dooland, Dowlling, Doolley and many more.

Early Notables of the Doolin family

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

Doolin Ranking

In the United States, the name Doolin is the 14,650^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]

Doolin migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Doolin to North America:

Doolin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nicholas Doolin, who landed in Maryland in 1673 [4]

Doolin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anne Doolin, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 [4]
John Doolin, who arrived in America in 1849 [4]

Doolin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Patk. Doolin, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Doolin, Ireland, in 1900
James Doolin, aged 24, who immigrated to America from Enniscorthy, Ireland, in 1909
Edward J. Doolin, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Dublin, Ireland, in 1911
William Doolin, aged 24, who settled in America from Dublin, Ireland, in 1920
James Doolin, aged 2, who landed in America from Dublin, Ireland, in 1921
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Doolin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Doolin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mrs. Bridget Doolin, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Ann Kenny" departing from the port of Waterford, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 [5]
Miss. Mary Doolin who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza Caroline" departing 3rd May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 14th June 1847 but she died on board [6]

Doolin migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Doolin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Catherine Doolin, aged 22, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Bee"

Contemporary Notables of the name Doolin (post 1700) +

James Doolin (1932-2002), American painter and muralist
William "Bill" Doolin (1858-1896), American bandit and founder of the Wild Bunch, an outlaw gang who robbed banks, trains and stagecoaches in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas during the 1890s
Paul Doolin (b. 1963), former Irish footballer and manager
Robert Doolin (b. 1962), Australian rules footballer

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 25)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 73)