The story of the Dunwell family stretches back through time to the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The Dunwell name comes from a place named by these Vikings and was used by a family who 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.
The surname Dunwell 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]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunwell research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1452, 140 and 1538 are included under the topic Early Dunwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the Middle Ages, no real standards were established to judge the accuracy of spelling and translation. They were done mostly by ear and intuition, and enormous numbers of spelling variations were the unsurprising result. Dunwell has appeared as Dingwall, Dingwalls, Dingall, Dingell, Dingle, Dingill, Dingal, Dingel and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Dunwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
North America was far from Britain's oppressive monarchy. There, the Scottish found land and freedom, and many even the opportunity to pay back England in the American War of Independence. This brave heritage survives today largely in Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Dunwell family in North America: