Dorword History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEarly Origins of the Dorword familyThe surname Dorword was first found in the Valley of the River Dee, where they held a family seat in their territories. The Pictish influence on Scottish history diminished after Kenneth Macalpine became King of all Scotland. But those east coast families still played an important role in government and were more accessible to Government than their western highland counterparts. The family name became associated with the de Lundins. Whether the name was an office to which Alan Durward, son of de Lundin, succeeded in 1204, or whether it was a Norman noble, Reiner Dureward from Norfolk who moved north at this time conjectural. However, Alan married an natural born daughter of King Alexander of Scotland and eventually became Regent and justicair of Scotland. He was immortalized by Walter Scott. On his death his lands were divided between three daughters. We do know he was better known by his Latin name at the time, Alanus Ostiarius, Hostiarius, Dyrwart 'Le Usher' and he died in 1268. He was the son of Thomas Ostiarius, who was a benefactor to the monks of Arbroath, and a signatory to at least one charter of Alexander II, dated between 1231 and 1233 A.D. 1 Later several lines descended in Scotland but the name continued to flourish to the south in Essex where Geoffrey Durward was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rols listed Richard Doreward in Essex. 2 Early History of the Dorword familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dorword research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1465 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Dorword History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dorword Spelling VariationsSince medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. In various documents Dorword has been spelled Dorward, Dorward, Durwood, Dorwood, Dyrwood, Dyrward, Dirward and many more. Early Notables of the Dorword familyMore information is included under the topic Early Dorword Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Dorword familyDescendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Dorword, or a variant listed above: Tho Dorwood, who came to Virginia in 1657.
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