Dingwall (name)

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

Contents

[edit] Origins of the Name

This is a habitation surname, derived from an already existing place name, the town of Dingwall in Ross-shire. According to the old Statistical Account of Scotland, the name, formerly Dignaval or Digna vallis, took its origin from the richness of the soil of the lower grounds, which form a considerable part of the parish of Dingwall. Other writers, with greater probability, consider the name to be of Scandinavian origin, reflecting the settlement of this area by Viking invaders, and refer it to a word expressive of its being the seat of justice: the Scandinavian Thingvöllr (field or meeting-place of the thing, or local assembly - compare Tynwald, Tingwall, Thingwall in the British Isles alone, plus many others across northern Europe).

[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 particularly 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 enemies. 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.

One of the original judges of the Court of Session, on the spiritual side, on its first institution, May 27, 1532, was Sir John Dingwall, provost of Trinity college, Edinburgh, whose residence, Dingwall Castle stood on the ground now occupied by the buildings at the junction of Waterloo Place with Shakspere Square, Edinburgh. He had previously been rector of Strabrok and archdeacon of Caithness in 1524, in which year he obtained a charter under the great seal of the mansion, orchard, and garden of Wester Strabrok in Linlithgowshire. He died before the 9th July 1533. He is supposed to be the same “Sir John Dungwell”: whom John Knox accuses of having “according to the charitie of kirkmen,” entertained the wife, and wasted the substance of one Alexander Furrour, during his seven years’ confinement in the Tower of London.

[edit] Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of the name include:

  • Dingwall.
  • Dingwalls.
  • Dingwell.
  • Dingall.
  • Dingell.
  • Dingle.
  • Dingill.
  • Dingal.
  • Dingel.

[edit] Motto

  • Motto: 'Deo Favente' which translated means 'By the favor of God'