Surname Darsie - Meaning and Origin
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Darsie: What does the surname Darsie mean?
The surname Darsie is derived from an old English and Scottish occupational name. It was originally derived from the pre 7th century word "dere," meaning "one who worked or held the position of a deer-keeper," primarily in a hunting or game reserve estate. The word evolved to "dear," and eventually to "Darsie." The surname was first found in the ancient county of East Lothian, Scotland, where they held a family seat from early times.
The surname Darsie was originally found in Scotland, mainly in East Lothian. As with other British and Irish surnames, those with the Darsie surname often think of it being Scottish, however it is also found in other parts of the British Isles, and possibly elsewhere. The spelling variations of the surname include Darsy, Dearsley, Dearsly, Dearslie, Darsley and Darsly.
Today, the surname Darsie is often utilized in Scotland in families of Gaelic origin, as well as in England, Ireland, and across the British Isles and the United States. As with many Gaelic-English surnames, Darsie is an Anglicized version of a much older Gaelic-language name, e.g. MacDharsaidh. Those bearing the name are thought to be related to the ancient Clan MacDharsaigh of Scotland.
In Scotland, the Darsie surname is thought to have originally belonged to a clan of Lords of Lauderdale, here in Scotland. This was a region that was once part of the ancient tribe of Scotti, (Scots). The term 'Lauderdale' also refers to a region that is now known as the modern county of East Lothian, located in modern-day Scotland. This is where the earliest traces of the surname are found - in East Lothian.
Today, the surname Darsie is associated with one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Scotland. It is thought that it originates from the lineage of the first Lords of Lauderdale back in the 12th century. The family is also believed to be related to other distinguished families in the area, such as the Bruces and the Sinclairs.
Order DNA origin analysisDarsie: Where does the name Darsie come from?
The last name Darsie is most commonly found in Scotland today. According to the Surname Database, Darsie is an Old Scottish surname with its earliest mention coming from the parish of Darsie in Scotland. It comes from Old English and has a meaning related to the rocky outcroppings found on pastureland, or simply “from the rocks.”
The National Records of Scotland’s records for the 2001 National Census show that the highest concentration of the Darsie surname is currently in Angus. In this region, in 2001 Darsie was the 2,386th most common surname overall. The number of Darsie households in Angus at the point of the survey was 286.
Other areas of Scotland with a high concentration of the Darsie surname are Shetland, Fife and Borders. Outside of Scotland, the surname is found in a much smaller number, with the majority residing in England, Australia, and the United States.
The surname Darsie is still quite common in its traditional area in Scotland, but is becoming more widespread in other countries as well. Even in areas where it is not as common, the number of people carrying the name is still growing.
Variations of the surname Darsie
The surname Darsie is an anglicised version of the popular surname D’Arcy, which is of Irish origin. Spelling variants of the surname can include Darcy, Darcee, Darsee and Darzee. It is also said to be anglicised from the French surname D’Arche.
In Scotland, the surname can be seen as Darsy or D’Arsy. Variants of Darsie in Scotland also include Darsay and D’Arsay. There is also the Finnish surname, D’Arcy.
The use of a hyphen (-) before the surnames Darcy or Dardy, is not considered a variant as such. The hyphen was used to distinguish between what was considered an Irish surnames with the same origin.
Some of the other variations of the name Darsie include Darcie, Darcee, Darcey, Darsay, Darsy, Darzee and D’Arcy. It should also be noted that double-barrelled surnames could include Darsie such as McCords-Darsie, Leask-Darsie and Lauder-Darsie. It is likely that there could be a number of other surnames that derived from Darsie that are still yet to be unearthed or identified.
All in all, the surname Darsie has been spelt a fair few variations across countries and generations. Therefore, for those researching their family tree, it is certainly worth looking into the possible alternate spelling variations of the same surname to a greater extent.
Famous people with the name Darsie
- James William Darsie: American professional football and baseball player.
- Alice Darsie: Actress in American silent films
- Sidney Darsie Bartlett: American football and basketball coach
- Mervyn T. Darsie: American politician
- Carolyn Darsie: English landscape painter
- Bob Darsie: Canadian sculptor
- Dave Darsie: American professional wrestler
- Joe Darsie: American singer and songwriter
- Dwight Darsie: American professional golf player
- Hollie Darsie: English actress.