| ![Show Contents]() Dorry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Dorry is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dorry family lived in Herefordshire. The family settled in Dore in that county, and it is from this location that their surname derives. Early Origins of the Dorry familyThe surname Dorry was first found in Herefordshire at Dore Abbey, a former Cistercian abbey in the village of Abbey Dore in the Golden Valley. The abbey was founded in 1147 by Robert fitzHarold of Ewyas, the Lord of Ewyas Harold, and derives it name from the River Dore, a Celtic river-name meaning "the waters." 1 "This parish derives its name from its situation on the river Dore, and from an abbey of White or Cistercian monks, founded here in the reign of Stephen, by Robert, son of Harold, Lord of Ewyas, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Edmund." 2 Dore is also a village in South Yorkshire which is listed in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle c. 829 when King Egbert of Wessex led his army to the village to receive the submission of King Eanred of Northumbria. Some claim that Egbert became the first king of England at Dore. Today the "Dore Stone," located on the village green commemorates King Egbert's victory. Early History of the Dorry familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dorry research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dorry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dorry Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Dore, Dorey, Dory, Dorie, Doar, Doare, Doore, Doorey, Doorie and many more. Early Notables of the Dorry familyMore information is included under the topic Early Dorry Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Dorry family to Ireland
Some of the Dorry family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Dorry familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Dorry or a variant listed above: James Dore who settled in Virginia in the year 1621; one year after the arrival of the "Mayflower"; followed by James in 1774; Mrs. Dore arrived in Norfolk Virginia in 1820 with her child.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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England
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Ireland
