Message: "Dorrit (f., English)"

Dorrit (f., English)

by Lumia

3/11/2009, 7:17 AM

It seems that Dorrit has been used as given name (sometimes as nickname of Dorothy) since the publication of Little Dorrit (1855-1857), by Charles Dickens, despite that in the novel Dorrit is a surname.

Does anybody know the origin of the surname Dorrit?

Thank you

Lumia
http://onomastica.mailcatala.com

#Dorrit

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- egyptianpanda

3/11/2009, 11:24 AM

I don't know about the surname, but it could just be a variant of the name Dorit.

Ilana

This message was edited 3/11/2009, 11:24 AM

- Cleveland Kent Evans (clevelandkentevans) +1

3/11/2009, 10:30 AM

I cannot find that spelling in my surname dictionaries, but Reaney & Wilson's A Dictionary of English Surnames does give Dorrett as a surname which is one of the variations of Durward or Dorwood, all going back to Old English duru-weard, meaning "doorkeeper" or "porter."

Perhaps that's what Dickens was thinking of.

- Lumia

3/11/2009, 1:11 PM

That makes sense

Thank you very much for your answer.

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