DORSETT
Dorsett is a surname of English origin. It is classed as a locational surname, derived from the Old English personal name Dorset which means “dweller at the deer‑shelter”. Early medieval records indicate that the name was given to those who came from the county of Dorset or who lived near a deer park or shelter within England.
In addition to the locational derivation, the surname has two further, likely origins. The first is a nickname stemming from the post 1066 Norman‑French word doucet, a diminutive of Old French doux or dous meaning “sweet to the eye”. In Middle English this became dowcet; the epithet would have been applied to a person perceived as particularly agreeable or pleasant in demeanour. The second possible line of origin is from the word dor or dors in Old English, meaning a thicket or copse of trees, and the suffix sett, meaning a smallholding. This sense produced an occupational name for a shepherd or cattle‑herder who lived near a wooded copse. The broader meaning of dorsecott – “dwelling at the edge of a wood” – supplies an alternative geographic explanation.
Surviving documents show a variety of spellings: Dowsett, Dosset, Dosset, Dossit, Dorset and Dorsett. The earliest recorded form is that of John Dousot, dated 1315 in the “Feet of Fines” of Huntingdonshire, ruled by King Edward the First. Other early entries include Walter fils Dussote in the Hundred Rolls for London, 1273; Geoffrey de Dorsete of Somerset, 1273; John Dousete in 1376; and Francis Dorcett in 1545.
By the seventeenth century the surname appeared in England in a variety of forms. A notable case is the marriage of Thomas Dowsett and Eme Bowman, recorded at St. Mary Somerset, London, 11 July 1586. The spread of the name beyond Britain began earlier in colonial records: the first Dorsett appears in Virginia in 1702 with a John Dorsett settling in Henrico County. Subsequent generations moved to the southeastern states, with significant presences in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. In the twentieth century, Dorsetts can also be found in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, and across the United States.
Over time, the surname has taken on numerous variants: Dorset, Darcey, Denby, Durant, Derby, Dorsey, D'Arcy, D'Urso, Darcy and Dorcy. Many of these arise from regional dialects or spelling conventions, and the ease with which surnames were altered in migration and record‑keeping has produced a wide range of spellings. The enduring use of the name in both Britain and North America reflects its historical stability, and it remains an identifiable element of English heritage.
Typical given names associated with the Dorsett surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- Jason
- John
- Marc
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Ann
- Carmen
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Joyce
- Lesley
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Sheila
- Shirley
- 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 Dorsett in...
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There are approximately 1,003 people named Dorsett in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,366th most common surname in Britain. Around 15 in a million people in Britain are named Dorsett.
Surname type: Diminutive
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dorsett
- Dicky Dorsett - Football player (1919 to 1999)
- Joe Dorsett - Football player (1888 to 1951)
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.