Show ContentsDiboll History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Diboll

What does the name Diboll mean?

In Scottish history, few names go farther back than Diboll, whose ancestors lived among the clans of the Pictish tribe. The ancestors of the Diboll family lived on the lands of Dipple in Morayshire where the name can be found since very early times. 1 The name means dweller by the hollow and is originally derived from the personal name Theobald. 2

Early Origins of the Diboll family

The surname Diboll was first found in Moray, where the first record was that of Walter de Duppul had a yearly pension of 3 marks from the bishop of Moray in 1328. Rev. John Scott (d. 1738), minister of Dippie, emigrated to the American colonies, became minister of Overwharton parish, Stafford county, Virginia, and called his estate there Dipple.

In England, the name also became Tipple and "interchanges between D and T were very common." 2

Early rolls in England show Ralph Dibald in Yorkshire; and William Dibel in London as listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 2

Early History of the Diboll family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diboll research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1328, 1332, 1464, 1476, 1664, 1730, 1761, 1788 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Diboll History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diboll Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Diboll has been written Dibble, Dipple, Diball, Dybell, Dyball, Dippel, Diable, Dibel, Dible, Tipple, Tippell, Tibble, Dibbs, Dibben, Dibbens and many more.

Early Notables of the Diboll family

More information is included under the topic Early Diboll Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Diboll family

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Diboll: Francis Dibble who settled in Massachusetts in 1635; Nathanial Dibble settled in Virginia in 1654; Thomas Dibble settled in Massachusetts in 1635; Francis Dible settled in Massachusetts 1635.


Contemporary Notables of the name Diboll (post 1700) +

  • Alonzo C. Diboll, American politician, Mayor of Wilmington, Ohio, 1855-57, 1868-69, 1874-76; Resigned 1857 3


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook