Dorn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
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The German state of Bavaria is the ancestral home of the Dorn family. Dorn is a local name, first used as a surname for someone who lived near a thorn-bush or hedge. The surname Dorn is derived from the German word dorn, which means thorn. Thus, the name was adopted by a person who lived near thorn bushes. The name Dorn also was used by people from Dornach, which is a town located near Munich in Bavaria. There is also a town named Dörnach in Tübingen, Westphalia and a city named Thorn (which is now Torun) in Poland. In Bavaria, the Dorn family lived on a feudal estate. Land proprietorship and management were the sole source of wealth and power in the Middle Ages and the Dorn family, as noble landowners, became prestigious members of the landed aristocracy.

Early Origins of the Dorn family

The surname Dorn was first found in Bavaria, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Dorn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dorn research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1584, 1738, 1804, 1809, 1824, 1825 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Dorn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dorn Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Dorn include Dorn, Dorner, Doorn, Doern, Dorne, Dorns and others.

Early Notables of the Dorn family

Prominent among members of the name Dorn in this period include

Dorn Ranking

In the United States, the name Dorn is the 3,352nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1


Dorn migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Dorns to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Dorn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Dorn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Dorn Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Dorn migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dorn Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Dorn migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dorn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Dorn migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5
Dorn Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Dorn (post 1700) +
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