Show ContentsDingle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The forefathers of the Dingle family were Viking settlers who came to Scotland in the Middle Ages. Many places were named by these Norsemen, and the Dingle surname was taken on from one of these place names, when someone lived at Royal Burgh of Dingwall, in Ross-shire, Scotland. The place-name is derived from the Old English word dingle, which meant valley or hollow. This is a habitation surname, derived from an already existing place-name.

Early Origins of the Dingle family

The surname Dingle was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) a former county, now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross, where John Yonger of Dyngvale witnessed a charter by William, Earl of Ross in 1342. Another charter by the same earl was witnessed by John called Yong and Thomas, his brother (c. 1350-72.) A few years later, William of Dyngwale was listed as dean of Aberdeen and Ross in 1389. Thomas of Dyngvale was listed as a canon in 1451. 1

Early History of the Dingle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dingle research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1452 and 1538 are included under the topic Early Dingle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dingle Spelling Variations

Sound and intuition were the main things that scribes in the Middle Ages relied on when spelling and translating names. Since those factors varied, so did the spelling of the names. Spelling variations of the name Dingle include Dingwall, Dingwalls, Dingall, Dingell, Dingle, Dingill, Dingal, Dingel and many more.

Early Notables of the Dingle family

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

Dingle Ranking

In the United States, the name Dingle is the 4,942nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2


United States Dingle migration to the United States +

In North America, the monarchy was thousands of miles away and Scots were free to settle on their own land and practice their own beliefs. The American War of Independence provided an opportunity for these settlers to pay back the English monarchy and forge a new nation. Recently, this heritage has survived through North American highland games and Clan societies. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Dingle or a variant listed above:

Dingle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Dingle, (b. 1807), aged 25, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth aboard the ship “Andromeda” arriving in the United States on 10th May 1832 3
  • Mr. J. Dingle, (b. 1866), aged 30, Cornish smith travelling aboard the ship "Teutonic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th July 1896 en route to Idaho, USA 4
  • Mrs. J. Dingle, (b. 1869), aged 27, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Teutonic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th July 1896 en route to Idaho, USA 4
  • Mr. T. Dingle, (b. 1895), aged 1, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Teutonic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th July 1896 en route to Idaho, USA 4
  • Mr. W. Dingle, (b. 1896), aged 6 months, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Teutonic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 8th July 1896 en route to Idaho, USA 4
Dingle Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John M. Dingle, (b. 1866), aged 39, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Butte, Montana, USA 4
  • Mr. George Dingle, (b. 1875), aged 30, Cornish tin miner travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 4

Australia Dingle migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dingle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Dingle, (b. 1799), aged 21, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1828 5
  • George Dingle, a smith, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • William Dingle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 6
  • Jane Dingle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 6
  • Mr. Nicholas Dingle, English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Dingle 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:

Dingle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Dingle, aged 22, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Mr Dingle, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Stains Castle
  • Mr. James Dingle, (b. 1818), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 25th January 1841 8
  • William Dingle, aged 24, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 9
  • Jane Dingle, aged 22, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dingle (post 1700) +

  • Adrian Kennell Dingle (1977-2022), American professional football defensive tackle in the National Football League who played five seasons for the San Diego Chargers (2000–2005)
  • Antonio Demetric Dingle (b. 1976), American former NFL football defensive tackle
  • Johnny Dingle (b. 1984), American NFL football defensive lineman
  • Ryan Dingle (b. 1984), American professional ice hockey left winger
  • Edwin John Dingle (1881-1972), English journalist, author
  • Molly Dingle MBE (1892-1974), Newfoundland educator from St. John's
  • John "Adrian" Darley Dingle (1911-1974), Welsh-born, Canadian painter, Joe Shuster Awards Hall of Fame recipient (2005)
  • Herbert Dingle (1890-1978), British professor of natural history with extensive publications
  • Robert Balson Dingle (b. 1926), distinguished British Physicist and Educator
  • Sir Dingle Mackintosh Foot (1905-1978), English lawyer and politician, Solicitor General for England and Wales (1964-1967), Member of Parliament for Ipswich (1957-1970), Member of Parliament for Dundee (1931-1945), first son of Isaac Foot

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Steward S Dingle, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 10
  • Mr. Fred Dingle, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 10
North Sea Flood
  • Violet Dingle, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953


The Dingle 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: Deo favente
Motto Translation: By the favour of God.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ROYAL ADMIRAL 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838RoyalAdmiral.htm
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


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