DOLMAN
Dolman is a surname of English origin and is primarily an occupational name. The prefix is recorded in the British Isles, with the earliest attested instance being William Dolman in 1260, when he witnessed a decision at the Cheshire Assize Courts during the reign of King Henry 111, who is described as "The Frenchman" in contemporary sources.
The etymology of Dolman is uncertain, but two principal explanations are supported by historical documentation. One interpretation derives from the Middle‑English word dolman, which denoted a loose, sleeveless overgarment worn by men in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The other explanation treats the surname as a variant of Doleman, a title given to a person who distributed alms or charity on behalf of a religious institution. Both meanings point to a social role that could have been recognised in naming practices.
A third explanation, based on medieval village administration, describes the Doleman as an official responsible for the maintenance of boundary posts and for the management of the dole, an area of common land that was divided for grazing, cutting, and turf gathering. Records show the surname in various spellings such as Dollman, Doleman, and the locational forms Dole, Doll and Deale. Early documentary evidence places a Richard Doleman in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, and a Thomas Doleman appears in the Muster of Captain Raph Hamor on 23 January 1624, having arrived in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship Returne of London.
Throughout history, the surname has remained closely associated with its English roots. The name is frequently recorded in early court and charter documents, underscoring its enduring presence in English society and its extension to the New World during the colonial period.
Typical given names associated with the Dolman surname
Male
- Andrew
- Brian
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Ann
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Joyce
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sally
- 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 Dolman in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 3,057 people named Dolman in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,945th most common surname in Britain. Around 47 in a million people in Britain are named Dolman.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dolman
- Fiona Dolman - Scots-born British actress
- Liam Dolman - Football player
- Eric Dolman - Welsh cricketer (1903 to 1969)
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.