Surname Darling - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling My Surprising Ancestry: A Norse-Viking Lineage and Unexpected Middle Eastern Ties Revealed through iGENEA DNA Test
I'd always believed I was entirely of English descent, with a quaint English surname. But the results of my iGENEA DNA test just flipped that script. It turns out, my ancestors were a unique blend of Northwestern European, Northern Slavic, and surprisingly, Middle Eastern cultures. As for the most uncanny revelation, my surname, Darling, rather being of English origin, traces back to Norse Vikings, a detail that reconfigures my understanding of my family history.
G. Darling
read moreDarling: What does the surname Darling mean?
The last name Darling is of English origin and is thought to be derived from the Middle English word "darl(ing)" which means "dear one". It originally was a term of affection that was later used as a given name and then adopted as a surname.
The surname often goes hand in hand with its parents, English words "dear" and "love", suggesting that the family was composed of people who were dearly beloved by their ancestors.
It is thought to come from the Old English term "deorling" which means "beloved" or "esteemed"; a term of endearment. The name is popularly believed to refer to someone who was particularly the darling of his or her family.
The original spelling of the name was usually 'Derling', depending on which area of England the family came from. It is assumed that the name was first used in the area of the Midlands and West Country of England, but is now found throughout Britain and America.
Today, the name continues to remain popular, and is symbolic of the strong loving bonds within families. It is a reminder for many to embrace and cherish their loved ones.
Order DNA origin analysisDarling: Where does the name Darling come from?
The last name Darling is most commonly seen today in the English-speaking world. It first appeared in England at the time of the Norman Conquest, and is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ‘de Erling’. In British records, the name is particularly associated with the county of Devon. This is perhaps due to the fact that one of its earliest and most significant bearers during the Middle Ages was William D'Erleng, a Norman knight who served William the Conqueror.
In the United States, the name is relatively common in New England and New York. Records of the name go all the way back to 1639, when the first Darling immigrant landed in New England. Many of those early immigrants were puritans, who later helped to establish the colonies of New York and New Hampshire.
Today, there are still rather large numbers of people with the last name Darling living in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada. It is not a particularly common name, however it can be found in many different corners of the world. Its most significant descendants in recent memory are perhaps the author J. M. Barrie, who penned the classic story Peter Pan, and the Nobel Prize winner James M.Darling.
Variations of the surname Darling
The surname Darling is found throughout the English-speaking world. It originated as an English surname and is derived from the Old English word "dearling," which means “dear one or beloved”. It can also be traced to a place in Staffordshire, England, where the family had lived since medieval times.
Variants of the surname can be found in the forms Darlinge, Darlynge or Derlynge, as well as variants in other languages such as Darlang and Darlinge (German), Darring (Dutch) and Darlo (French).
Spelling variations in antiquity often arose when scribes recorded a family's name based on its sound. Spellings of the surname Darling have included Darline, Darrin, Dearlen, Dearling, Derlinge, Derlingh, Durlint and Durell.
Other surnames with similar origins to Darling are Darlow, Darlsen, Darnell, Dell, Delling, Dill and Dillinger.
Lastly, some of the patronymic forms of the surname Darling may be found to originate from when a father and son, or mother and daughter, would take on each other’s surnames. Consequently, some forms of the surname Darling are found to include the prefixes Mac, Fitz or O', like MacDarling, FitzDarling or O'Darling.
Famous people with the name Darling
- Cindy Darling: American actress
- Lela Darling: American burlesque, actor and model
- David Darling: English composer and cellist
- Wendy Darling: fictional character created by J. M. Barrie
- Daisy Darling: British music hall singer
- Annie Darling: English writer
- Tony Darling: English footballer
- John Darling: Australian politician
- Rupert Darling: English architectural draughtsman
- Sydney E. Darling: American botanist
- Timothy Darling: American actor and singer
- Judy Darling: American actress
- Kelly Darling: American model
- Barry Darling: American actor
- Mark Darling: British radio presenter
- Peter Darling: British naval officer
- Matthew Darling: Canadian screenwriter
- Robert Darling: American actor
- Sophia Darling: American photographer
- William Darling: British painter