Doctor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

Origins Available: England

Ireland

The ancient history of the name Doctor dates back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name given to a trapper of small game; it literally means "cut the hare's tail," from the Old English words dokc, which meant "cut off," and hare, a word that has not changed meaning.

Early Origins of the Doctor family

The surname Doctor was first found in Cumberland where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Doctor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doctor research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Doctor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doctor Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Doctor include Docker, Dockwra, Dockray, Dockwray, Dockrell and many more.

Early Notables of the Doctor family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Doctor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Doctor family to Ireland

Some of the Doctor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Doctor migration +





Doctor Settlers in United States in the 18th Century Martin Doctor, who arrived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1762 [1]

George Doctor, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 [1] Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Contemporary Notables of the name Doctor (post 1700) +

Gabriel Doctor, American politician, Candidate for Justice of New York Supreme Court 5th District, 1920 [2]

Doctor Juan Jiménez de Montalvo (b. 1551), Spanish oidor (judge) of the Royal Audiencia of Lima

Doctor Peter Radtke (b. 1943), German actor and playwright

Related Stories +

The Doctor Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.



Motto: Semper eadem

Motto Translation: Always the same.





Citations +