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This is often listed as a 19th-century American invention based on the term "darling," but research into early records has given me pause. I have run into 2 records for women named Darlene born in 18th-century Hungary. Then I see an earlier 17th-century record for a Doroline in England. Most of the earlier Darlenes I see in the United States are born in Germany, Norway or Sweden, but I am not sure if these are English names they took upon immigration or their actual birth names. I have run into more records for Dorolines, Dorolinas and Diewerlines in 1800s Netherlands. Is it possible Darlene is related to the latter listed names or is it maybe a corruption of the German female name Dorle?

This message was edited 3/2/2019, 12:02 PM