Topics

• About the Dominicus One-Name Study
• Origin of the surname
• Historical occurrences
• Data
• Contact Details

About the Dominicus One-Name Study

My name is June Willing and I have been researching my family history since 1975. I began the Dominicus One-Name Study in 1991, having discovered an ancestor named Susannah Dominicus who had married Philip Tidd in 1730 in Gillingham, Kent. Susannah was the daughter of George Dominicus and Elizabeth Woodward, who married at St Thomas, Portsmouth in 1704. I joined the Guild of One-name Studies in 1993, and have been collecting Dominicus references ever since, but I have still no idea where George came from, or who his parents were.

Origin of the surname

Dominicus probably orginated in the Netherlands. A search of Dutch phone books in the 1990s revealed that it is most commonly found today in the provinces of Zeeland, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant) and Gelderland, which are the most southerly provinces of the country. It is also found in adjacent areas of Germany and Belgium.

Historical occurrences

George Dominicus (1751-1827) of the East India Company was the most prominent bearer of the name in Britain. He was a grandson of the original George Dominicus mentioned above. His will indicates that he died a wealthy men without, as far as I can tell, starting out with any advantages in life.

Data

The data I have on Dominicus in Britain is not extensive, and consists mainly of parish register entries, the most recent of which date from the early 19th century. The name appears to have died out in Britain by the start of the civil registration period in 1837. There are also some marriage licences and a handful of wills.

So far, I have very little data from the Netherlands, but I hope to remedy that as time allows.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Ms June A Willing
15 Strathcona Gardens,
Glasgow
G13 1DN
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 26 May 2008.

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