Wishlist
Menu
Cart
HouseofNames
Wishlist
Cart

Show ContentsDot History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Product

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

4.9 Average Rating

The surname Dot is a Welsh name of old Celtic origin. The surname is from one of the various related Old English personal names Dodd, Dodda, Dudd, or Dudda, which were all in common use until the 14th century "from Lincolnshire to Devonshire and from Essex to Lancashire." 1 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Dot family

The surname Dot was first found in Worcestershire where the Latin form Brictricus filius Doddi was registered as holding lands in the Domesday Book of 1086. 5 The Domesday also includes an entry for Aluric Dodd in Dorset. Balterus filius Dudde, Walterus Dudde were both Old English Bynames in Worcestershire in the 11th century. Ælfweard Dudd was listed as another Old English Byname in Hampshire c. 1030. 1

As a forename Dodde de Lismanoch was found in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1194. Æluric Doddes was recorded in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk c. 1095. Johannes filius Dode was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name in many counties at that time: Benedict Dod, Northamptonshire; Peter Dod, Oxfordshire; Richard Dod, Cambridgeshire; and William Dod, Salop (Shropshire.) 4

George Ormerod (1785-1873) wrote the following about the family: "About the time of Henry II., Hova, son of Cadwgan Dot, married the daughter and heiress of the Lord of Edge, with whom he had the fourth of that manor. It is probable that the Lord of Edge was son of Edwin, who before the Conquest was sole proprietor of eight manors; we may call him a Saxon thane. It appears by Domesday that Dot was the Saxon lord of sixteen manors, from which all of which he was ejected; we may presume he was identical with Cadwgan Dot."

Early History of the Dot family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dot research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1549, 1550, 1630, 1645, 1652, 1664, 1665, 1671, 1672, 1683, 1693, 1716, 1717, 1719, 1729, 1743, 1754, 1777 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dot History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dot Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Dot name over the years has been spelled Dodd, Dod, Dot, Dodds, Dods and others.

Early Notables of the Dot family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir Anthony Dod of Edge, Commander of the English archers at the Battle of Agincourt.Henry Dod (1550?-1630?), was an English poet, of the old family of Dod, or Doddes, Cheshire. 6John Dod (1549?-1645), was a Puritan divine, born at Shotlidge, near Malpas, Cheshire, in or about 1549, was the youngest of a family of seventeen. His parents were possessed of a moderate estate, and after he had received his early education at Westchester sent him when about fourteen to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was elected scholar and afterwards fellow. Peirce...
Another 147 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dot Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Dot family to Ireland

Some of the Dot family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dot family

The Welsh began to emigrate to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of land, work, and freedom. Those that arrived helped shape the industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. The records regarding immigration and passenger show a number of people bearing the name Dot: Laurence Dod who settled in New Hampshire in 1718; Thomas Dod settled in Barbados in 1679 with his wife Margaret; James Dod settled in Boston in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Dot (post 1700) +

  • Dot Frank, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Mandan, North Dakota, 2012
  • Dot Laughton (1913-1982), Australian cricketer for the Australia National Team, eponym of The Dot Laughton Trophy
  • Dot Nelson-Turnier, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 150th District, 2006 7
  • Dot Adler, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1988 8
  • Dot Burns, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Georgia, 1996 9
  • Dot Greener (b. 1945), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 2004 10
  • Dot Dorsey Swan, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1944 11

The Dot 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: In copia cautus
Motto Translation: Careful amid plenty.
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Houseofnames.com on Facebook