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Dinsmore (surname)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dinsmore is a surname with Scottish and Welsh origins. It is a toponymic surname derived from the lands of Dundemore in Northern Fife, Scotland with origins in the 12th century.[1][2] Another surname derived from the same location is Dunmore.[1] Other spelling variants include Densmore and Dunsmore.[2]

An alternative origin says Dinsmore is a variant of the toponymic surname Dinmore. [3] However, Dunsmore has also been reported to be a variant of Dinsmore.[2] Another toponymic surname derivation is based on Dinmore, Herefordshire, England.[4]

Dinsmor is the Welsh toponymic variant that derives from the Welsh and Cornish-British root den- for "fortress" or "fort" and from either the Gaelic root mor- meaning "great", "mighty" or "proud" or the Welsh root mawr- meaning "large" or "warrior", ultimately yielding "a great or large walled city or town" or "a great fortress".[5]

The name Dinsmore may refer to:

References

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  1. ^ a b Dobson, David (2003). The Scottish Surnames of Colonial America (reprint). Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 37. ISBN 9780806352091 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b c "Dinsmore Last Name Origin". Internet Surname Database. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  3. ^ Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. 2013 http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=dinsmore – via Ancestry.com. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Smith, Elsdon Coles (1986) [Originally published in 1969]. American Surnames (reprint). Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 242. ISBN 9780806311500 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ Arthur, William (1857). An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. Sheldon, Blakeman & Co. ISBN 1177681250.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)