Surname Dethridge - Meaning and Origin
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Dethridge: What does the surname Dethridge mean?
The last name Dethridge is a surname of English origin, likely derived from the Old English words ‘deod’ and ‘riz’, which translates to ‘ridge’ or ‘ridge valley’. The name itself was a common local surname, originating in the areas surrounding Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
It is believed that the name Dethridge was originally bestowed on those who lived in or near a ridge in the landscape. This likely suggests that the family were involved in agriculture or forestry, and were originally reliant on the land to survive. The presence of the word ‘deod’ in the name might also be indicative of a family who held a particularly strong bond with their native land.
The surname of Dethridge is now found in some capacity all around the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. However, the original surname of Dethridge still stands, and is a clear reminder of the hard-working individuals who helped form the foundation of an average English family. The name still carries with it an air of old-fashioned pride and determination, and serves as testament to the Dethridge’s – and all English families – past.
Order DNA origin analysisDethridge: Where does the name Dethridge come from?
The last name Dethridge is not particularly common today; the United States Census Bureau's 2019 data shows that there are fewer than 200 people in the United States named Dethridge. The only cluster of people in the United States with this name is in the Pacific Northwest, in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It’s also found in Australia, particularly in New South Wales, and in Canada, with a cluster in British Columbia.
The last name Dethridge is of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning “drover's homestead” or “sheep herder's homestead”. It is thought to have come from a place name in Lincolnshire, England. The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is that of William Dethrygge, which was dated 1301 in the Palliser's Rolls of Essex, England.
The family name experienced a few spelling variations in its evolution. Examples being Dethrid, Dethridge, Dethrudge, Detrygd, Detryge, and Detridge. In classes of records that were created more recently, such as land and war records, spellings have taken on the standard of Dethridge.
Today, the Dethridge name is extremely rare, with the scattering of individuals being the only people to carry it. This rarity and the long history of the family name make it a unique and interesting piece of family history.
Variations of the surname Dethridge
The surname Dethridge is an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Deodor. Spellings of the surname include Deethridge, Deatridge, Dethridge, Deuteridge, Deateridge, Deetridge, Deatheridge, and Datheridge.
Patronymic surnames were created to distinguish between individuals with the same given name by adding the name of the father. As surnames became more important and more widely adopted during the Middle Ages, they took on a life of their own, with many different spellings and variations of the original surname, such as Dethridge.
Variations in spellings started to crop up as family lines grew. The dearth of standardized spellings and pronunciation of names in this era, and the illiteracy of some family members meant that variations regularly emerged.
The Dethridge surname may also be found with alternate spellings in other countries, such as Detering, Dieterich, and Deither in Germany, and Deiter and Dėders in Lithuania.
It is also possible that, over time, families changed the spelling of their surname to assimilate more easily into their new country, or because of other cultural or economic circumstances at the time.
In some cases, the same surname, originating from the same given name, may have been changed and spelled differently by various branches of the family – like the Scottish surname Dick, which has at least seventy variants.
The Dethridge surname also has a few very rare variants, such as Dethryge, Detheridge, and Dethrage. As well, other derivations include Daughteridge, Dilteridge, Detheridge, Dietheridge, and Diltherige.
Famous people with the name Dethridge
- Nicholas Dethridge: Australian documentary producer and filmmaker
- Alan Dethridge: British World War II veteran and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Medal
- Frank Dethridge: American college basketball player
- Doug Dethridge: Australian rules footballer
- Adam Dethridge: American former professional basketball player
- Timothy Dethridge: British geographer and professor
- Gordon Dethridge: Canadian recipient of the Order of Canada 8.mentioned Jack Dethridge: Australian Olympic swimmer
- Marilyn Dethridge: Australian artist and landscape designer
- William Dethridge: Canadian newspaper proprietor and Member of Parliament