DEARING
Dearing is an English surname with origins in the British Isles, specifically England. It is a surname of Anglo‑Saxon heritage that has been recorded since the early medieval period.
The derivation of the name is tied to the Old English word deor, which has two principal meanings relevant to the surname. In one instance it denotes a deer, suggesting that the name could have originally identified a deer keeper, hunter or someone who inhabited a landscape associated with deer. In another instance it means dear or beloved; the suffix ‑ing was appended to personal names to indicate belonging to or being descended from a particular individual. Consequently, Dearing may signify both “descendant of the deer” and “descendant of the dear or beloved one”.
The earliest documented use of the surname appears in the Saxon Chartulary of 955, where an individual named Aelfsige Dyring is recorded. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Derinc filius, meaning “son of Sired.” Additional early references include a mention of Dierling(us) in the Knights’ Templars’ records of Kent (1185) and Willelmus filus Derinch in the Book of Seals for Berkshire (1190). Subsequent occurrences comprise Richard Dering (c. 1250) in the Chartulary of the Monastery of Ramsey, John Dyring (1275) in the Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls, Henry During (1327) in the Somerset Subsidy Rolls, and Ricardus Deryng (1379) as a southerner in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns.
Throughout history, the surname has manifested in several orthographic variations. The most common modern spellings are Dearing, Deering, Dering and Doring. Further historical spellings include Dereyn, Deorwynn, deiring, and Dearinge, reflecting the lack of standardised spelling in medieval England. In later centuries the name spread beyond England, appearing in records across North America, Australia and other parts of the world, though it remains relatively rare.
In 1664 a coat of arms was granted to the family. It consists of a green shield bearing three silver bucks’ heads, each attired with gold. This heraldic device underscores the possible deer association of the surname.
Today, Dearing is still predominantly found in England, particularly within the eastern region, but the name can also be encountered in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, a distribution that reflects historic emigration patterns from Britain.
Typical given names associated with the Dearing surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Amanda
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jean
- Joan
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Dering
- Daring
- Darring
- Darin
- Darrin
- Darington
- Darrington
- Dearin
- Dawing
- Dearling
- Dearning
- Deering
- Derin
- Deringer
- Derring
- Derringer
- Deuring
- Doering
- Doring
- Dorring
- Douring
- Duehring
- Duering
- During
- Deerin
- Derine
- Derington
- Derking
- Derling
- Derrin
- Derrington
- Deryng
- Diringer
- Doehring
- Doringer
- Dring
- Dureing
- Duringer
- Truong
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Dearing in...
Braille
⠙⠑⠁⠗⠊⠝⠛
Morse
-....-.-...-.--.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Dearing are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Water biscuit.
There are approximately 1,647 people named Dearing in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,953rd most common surname in Britain. Around 25 in a million people in Britain are named Dearing.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dearing
- George Dearing - Trade union leader (1911 to 1968)
- Charles Dearing - Fencer (1908 to 1962)
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.