This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Dolphin' (Domesday, Dolfin): Yonge. Popular in France; compare Dauphin. For corrupted forms, v. Duffin; compare Dovenby, Cumberland, a corruption of Dolphinby, and Dolphinholme, near Lancaster, both beyond doubt styled from the personal name of the early resident.

Dolfinus de Kirkeby, 21 Richard II: Furness Coucher Book.

Eva fil. Dolphine. Placitorum in domo capitulari Westmonasteriensi.

Johannes Dolfyn, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Adam Dolfynson, 1379: ibid.

Annes Dolphyn, 1541: Reg. St. Dionis Backchurch.

John Dolfyn, Yorkshire Testamenta Eboracensia (Surtees Society).

William Dolfin, Surreyf., 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Adam de Dolfynby, Cumberland, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

1579. Buried — William Dowlphin, 90 yeares old: St. Peter, Cornhill.

1606-7. Rowland Dolphenne, Worcestershire: Register of the University of Oxford.

We have here an example of an old English name, in this case of Norse origin, which became thoroughly hibernicized. The Four Masters mention one John Dolifin, a follower of Walter Burke in his campaign against the O'Connors in 1270.Isolated references to it in Ireland occur from the early thirteenth century, and from the sixteenth onwards we find it firmly established in Co. Galway whence it spread to north Connacht. In a list of leading men of Co. Galway in the sixteenth century given in O Flaherty's Iar Connacht we find Redmond Dolphine of Rarroddy “chief of his name”; at the same time Dolphin of Turoe and Dolphin of Brackloonmore and Dolphin of Galboly were other important landed families in Co. Galway. I give these in modern spelling: the last named for example appears in a Fiant of 1582 as Walter Dolphinn of Galweyle and in another of 1585 as Walter Dolfin of Galbwoly. They seem to have been especially identified with the Loughrea area wherein lies Raroddy or Rathruddy: Mr. P. J.

Kennedy tells me that this was the centre of a deBurgo feudal district known as the Dolphinage. Eight Dolphins from this east Galway country were among the transplanted Papists of 1656-7.Though largely uprooted from their ancestral homes they did not lose their position in the social scale in Connacht. Several Dolphins were among the larger landowners in Co. Galway at the end of the nineteenth century and one indeed held Turoe. This result was not attained by conforming, as the families in question were Catholics. Four are in Alumni Dublinenses, all born in Co. Galway.

(A-French-Latin-Greek) Delphian fO.French Daulphin (mod. Dauphin), Latin Delphin-us, Greek Δελφινος, Delphian (epithet of Apollo]

Of Norse origin this family came to Connacht from England at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion and became completely hibernicized. SIF 55

An ancient personal name. One Dolfin was a tenant-in-chief in cos. Derby and York at the making of Domesd. The family were in Ireland before the year 1307. B.L.G.

Ferguson thinks Dolphin the Old Norse dolgfinner, the Dolfin of early English history. Lower says it is an ancient personal name, and that one Dolfin was a tenant-in-chief in cos. Derby and York at the making of Domesday, and that the family were in Ireland before 1307. It may however be the same as Godolphin.

From the Flemish, Dolphin; from the Dutch, Dolhein; personal name Dolfin, a tenant in chief in the Domesday Book.