DALRYMPLE
Dalrymple is a Scottish locational surname with roots in the British Isles, particularly in the former counties of Ayrshire and Dumfries. The name is derived from the town of Dalrymple in Ayrshire, which itself is composed of Gaelic elements meaning “valley with a bend” or, in another interpretation, “territory of the crooked stream.” The Gaelic *dail* means “territory”, *croim* denotes a crooked line, and *puill* refers to a small stream; the Old English word *rimpel* meaning “curve” has also been cited as part of the etymology. The combined meaning therefore reflects the geography of the original settlement.
The earliest documentary evidence of the surname dates from the latter half of the fourteenth century. A record from 1371 cites Adam de Dalrympil in the Land Charters of the Barony of Dalrymple during the reign of Robert II of Scotland. In 1390 a James of Dalrymple witnessed a charter by the Earl of Fife, and in 1392 a John de Dalrympil served as provost of Edinburgh. A prisoner of war, Gilbert of Dalrympille, was released from the Tower of London in 1413, demonstrating the name’s early prominence within Scottish society.
Dalrymple is predominantly concentrated in the south and southwest of Scotland, with the highest numbers found in Ayrshire and Glasgow. In England the surname appears chiefly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, while it is also present in small numbers throughout Wales and Northern Ireland. Census data from 1881 show over 1,000 individuals bearing the name in Scotland and around 800 in England, indicating a substantial presence across the United Kingdom.
Following the Highland clearances and other socio‑economic upheavals, many bearers of the Dalrymple name emigrated to colonies such as Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and to a lesser extent India and Germany. The diaspora has maintained the surname abroad, often retaining its original spelling while occasionally adopting hyphenated forms when joining or marrying into other notable families.
The surname has acquired several recognised variants, including Dalrimple, Delrimple, Delrymple, Dulrimple, and Daelrymple, as well as the more modern hyphenated derivatives Dalrymple‑White, Dalrymple‑Smith, Dalrymple‑Hay, and Dalrymple‑Shaw. These variants arise from regional orthographic differences and the influence of English spelling conventions on Gaelic names.
Notable individuals with the surname include Sir John Dalrymple (1648‑1707), who held the title of the first Earl of Stair and later served as King’s advocate; the historian and traveller William Dalrymple, who has authored numerous works on Scottish and Asian history; and contemporary figures such as activist and director Steve Dalrymple. Their achievements reflect the surname’s continued association with public life in politics, medicine, engineering, and education.
Typical given names associated with the Dalrymple surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Paul
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Alison
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Fiona
- Frances
- Helen
- Jane
- Janet
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Dalrymple in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,903 people named Dalrymple in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,385th most common surname in Britain. Around 29 in a million people in Britain are named Dalrymple.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Dalrymple
- William Dalrymple - Author and historian
- John Dalrymple, 14th Earl of Stair - Scottish earl
- Jamie Dalrymple - Cricket player of England.
- John Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair - Politician (1879 to 1961)
- John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair - Diplomat (1673 to 1747)
- Alexander Dalrymple - Geographer (1737 to 1808)
- Weldon Dalrymple-Champneys - Physician (1892 to 1980)
- Craig Dalrymple - Football player
- Hew Whitefoord Dalrymple - Army general (1750 to 1830)
- Jock Dalrymple - (1892 to 1960)
- David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes - Scottish judge and historian (1726 to 1792)
- Robert Dalrymple - Scottish football player (1880 to 1970)
- George Elphinstone Dalrymple - Australian explorer and politician (1826 to 1876)
- David Dalrymple - (1840 to 1912)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.