Dingwall (name)

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Dingwall or Dingwell is a Scottish name but is of Viking origin.

1 Origins of the Name
2 History
3 Spelling Variations
4 Motto

[edit] Origins of the Name

After coming to Scotland in the middle ages the viking settlers, ancestors of the Dingwall family lived in Dingall and Dingwall in Ross-shire, Scotland. The place name is derived from the old English-Scottish word 'dingle' which meant 'valley' or 'hollow'. This is a habitation surname, derived from an already existing place name.

[edit] History

The Dingwalls were a sept of the Clan Munro in Ross-shire Scotland. This meant that they lived inside the territory of the Clan Munro. The Dingwalls are known to have supported the Munros in battle particualy at the battle of 'Bealach nam Broig' in 1452 where they were victorious. A force of Munros and Dingwalls met north-west of BenWyvis. Their enemy was a force of MacKenzies and their followers who had with them an important hostage, who was in fact the Earl of Ross's son. The Munros and their Dingwall allies rescued the Ross hostage and almost completely exterminated their ememies. However the Munros victory came at a loss as around 140 Dingwalls and their leader William of Dingwall were killed. Also 11 Munros from the house of Foulis were killed including their Chief thus the Chieftenship was left to a baby still lying in his cradle. The Dingwalls wear the Munro tarten.