Doting History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Doting name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Doddington, a place name found at many locations throughout England. The name is made up of the Old English personal name Dodda, an Old English word that meant "enclosure," or "farm" and tun, which meant "town." Thus the original meaning of this place name was Dodda's farm or Dodda's town. 1

Early Origins of the Doting family

The surname Doting was first found in Somerset at Doddington, which predates the Norman Conquest dating back to c. 975 when it was first listed as Dundingtune. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the village was known as Dodington. 2

There are other places similarly named in the Domesday Book but this is the only pre-Conquest village making it of Saxon origin. In early days, some of the family were found much further north in Cumberland at Kirk-Oswald where "the estates [of Kirk-Oswald] were granted by Elizabeth to the Dodding family." 3

Alternatively, the family could have originated in the parish of Duddington in Northamptonshire. The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Dodintone 2 and literally meant "estate associated with a man called Dud(d)a," from the old English personal name + "-ing" + "tun." 1

Further to the north, Duddingston is a former village in the east of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was first recorded in lands granted to the Abbot of Kelso Abbey by David I of Scotland between 1136-1147. Duddingston Loch is a loch located in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland, below Arthur's seat. It is the only natural loch in Edinburgh.

Early History of the Doting family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doting research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1519, 1536, 1547, 1551, 1595, 1662, 1663, 1689, 1691, 1693, 1705, 1707, 1708, 1713, 1715, 1717, 1718 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Doting History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doting Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Doting has undergone many spelling variations, including Dodington, Doddington, Doddingston and others.

Early Notables of the Doting family

Distinguished members of the family include Bartholomew Dodington (1536-1595), Greek scholar, born in Middlesex and was admitted a scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, on the Lady Margaret's foundation, 11 Nov. 1547, and proceeded B.A. in 1551. 4George Bubb Dodington, Lord Melcombe (c. 1662-1720), was an English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Somerset (1715-1720), Vice-Admiral of Somerset (1715-1720), Member of Parliament for Winchelsea (1705-1707) and (1707-1708), for Charlemont (1707-1713) and for Bridgwater (1708-1713.) He "represented the old Somerset family the Dodingtons of Dodington. A John Dodington (d. 1663) held an office under Thurloe, and married Hester, the daughter of Sir Peter Temple...
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Doting Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Doting family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Doting were among those contributors: John Doddington arrived in Georgia in 1773.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print