Show ContentsDyon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Dyon family name to the British Isles. They lived in Surrey. However, there is no agreed upon origin for this name, so we will take a moment to explore the various qualified sources and summarize their thoughts.

Reaney postulates the name was perhaps from Old French word "digne" or "dein," meaning "worthy or honorable." He also postulated that the name could have been from "digne," meaning "haughty, reserved." 1

Charnock notes the name could be from "De Dine, and it is probably derived from locality; perhaps from Digne (Dinia), a walled town of France." 2

Mark Antony Lower notes the name was "Anciently Dine. Might come from the French digne, worthy. There is a statement, however, I know not of what authority, that the family were identical with the Dyves, who came into England from Normandy with the Conqueror." 3

Harrison believes the name was from "the French Dion, an abbrev. of Latin Dionys(i)us." 4

Bardsley believes the name was related to "a geographical locality, 'at the dane' or 'dean' " or perhaps 'at the Dene' 5

Burke weighs in thusly and adds other authority's thoughts: "An alteration in Domesday Book itself from de Dingy to Dive has led to the future confusion as to this name. Sir F. Palgrave, in his work on public records, describing Henry de Dyne, temp. Henry III., says, this name is sometimes written de Dive, and Dugdale uses the two indiscriminately. This family were actively engaged in the contests of the barons with Kings John and Henry III.; and at the final subjection of the latter, Windsor Castle and Forest were committed to Hugo de-Dyne. They have held grants downwards from the conquest, one of them to Robereus dyns, by King Stephen, continued to them to the time of Cromwell's rebellion, when, in the hands of Sir Louis de Dyve, half-brother to Lord Digby, secretary of state to Charles I., it was confiscated by the parliament. " 6

Early Origins of the Dyon family

The surname Dyon was first found in Surrey where Robert le Dine was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1201. A few years later, again in Surrey, Richard le Digne was found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1222 and later again, Gilbert le Dyne, Dynes was found in Yorkshire in 1275 and 1284. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcester included a listing for Nicholas Dain in 1275. 1

"The family, however, still surviving as holders of estates in Kent and Sussex, were allowed the hereditary arms during the rebellion in the name of Dyne or Dyve de Battersden, Kent, and had the same confirmed to them when scrutiny after the restoration of the Sussex visitation, 1662. The name is now represented in Kent by F. Bradley Dyne, Esq., of Gore Court, who still holds lands at Bethersden. The Sussex property passed to the Briscoes now of Coghurst, the grandfather of the present Musgrave Briscoe, Esq., having married the daughter and heiress of Edward Dyne, Esq., of Coghurst, Sussex." 6

Early History of the Dyon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dyon research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1352, 1377, 1383, 1397, 1412, 1413, 1414, 1768, 1772, 1779, 1784 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Dyon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dyon Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Dyne, Dine, Dives, Dynne, Dinne, Dyves, Dyon and others.

Early Notables of the Dyon family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Nicholas Dyne (fl. 1352) of East Grinstead; John Dyne I (died 1412/1413), who owned land in the Kentish hundreds of Hayne, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Hythe (1377-1397); and his son, John Dyne II (fl. 1383-1414), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Hythe (1383-1414); and Sir John Dyne.John Dyne was a a distinguished alto...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dyon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dyon migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dyon or a variant listed above:

Dyon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Dyon, who arrived in Virginia in 1649 7


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  7. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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