Dunwoody

Recorded in a wide range of spellings including Dinwoodie,

Dinwidie, Dinwiddie, Dunwoodie, Dunwoody, Dunworthy and others, this is

a famous Scottish surname. It is territorial from the barony of

Dinwoodie in the parish of Applegarth, Dunmfriesshire, on the Scottish

borders with England. It is said that the origin is pre 7th century

Gaelic from ''dun'' or ''din'' meaning a wood or forest and ''gwydd'' which

means much the same! Arguably the name means wood - wood, a result

of language and dialect changing several times in the past 1500

years. The clan through its lairds have held high positions in the area

since at least the 12th century, and Adam de Dinwidi was a property

witness in regard to the ownership of the lands of Anant in the period

between 1218 - and 1245. Early legal documents were rarely dated, except

by the presence on the document of the name of then monarch or local

lord, and not always then. For instance Sir Alan de Dunwidi was senescal

or steward of Annandale, believed to be a crown appointment in the 13th

century, but there are no known dates for his appointment. At sometime

the family were awarded the title ''of all that ilk'' in effect confirming

their hereditary status. This minor nobility status does not seem to

have helped Thomas Dunwedy, the clan chief who was killed at his home by

the Jardines in 1504. In 1685 Jean Dunwiddie or Dunwoodie was a victim

of the Test, a means of ascertaining religious support. Perhaps not

surprisingly Robert Dinwoodie born in Glasgow in 1693, left Bonnie

Scotland for Virginia Colony in about 1730 where he became governor from

1751 to 1758, and responsible for the Ohio Valley land integration. The

first known recording in any spelling is that of Adam de

Dinwiddie, dated 1194 in the Public Record Office for Scotland during

the reign of King William, known as the Lion of Scotland, 1165 - 1214.