Show ContentsDorrent History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Gaelic is at the heart of all the Irish surnames that can be found throughout the world today. The original Gaelic form of the name Dorrent is Ó Deoradhain, which was later shortened to Ó Deorain. Both names are probably derived from the word deoradh, referring to an exile. 1

Early Origins of the Dorrent family

The surname Dorrent was first found in Leix (Irish: Laois) formerly known as Queen's County, located in central Ireland, in Leinster Province, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Dorrent family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dorrent research. Another 212 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1523, 1540, 1807, 1814, 1835, 1878, 1885 and 1909 are included under the topic Early Dorrent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dorrent Spelling Variations

Names during the Middle Ages were often recorded under several different spelling variations during the life of their bearers. Literacy was rare at that time and so how a person's name was recorded was decided by the individual scribe. Variations of the name Dorrent include Doran, Dorran, O'Doran, O'Deorain, Dorain, Doron and others.

Early Notables of the Dorrent family

Notable among the family name at this time was Maurice Doran, Bishop of Leighlin who was murdered by his archdeacon in 1523; Charles Guilfoyle Doran (1835-1909), Irish...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dorrent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dorrent family

In the late 18th century, Irish families began emigrating to North America in the search of a plot of land to call their own. This pattern of emigration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s cause thousands of Irish to flee the death and disease that accompanied the disaster. Those that made it alive to the shores of the United States and British North America (later to become Canada) were, however, instrumental in the development of those two powerful nations. Many of these Irish immigrants proudly bore the name of Dorrent: Bernard, Bridget, Daniel, Francis, Hugh, James, John, Martin, Mary, Michael, Patrick, Robert, Thomas, and William Doran, arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865..



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


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