From the old lands of Dundemore near Lindores, Fife. The old family kept possession of the lands for a lengthened period, and took the Scottish side in the Wars of Independence (LAC., p. 240). The family appears to have ended in the direct line in an heir-female in the time of David 11 (Inchaffray, p. 286). Henry de Dundemore witnessed a confirmation charter by John, earl of Huntigdoun of land in Kynalchmund to the Abbey of Arbroath c. 1219 (RAA., I, p. 57), and c. 1232—37 he witnessed another charter by the same earl granting the lands of Lundors and of Garuiach to the monks of Lindores (LAC., p. 19). In 1248 he had a controversy with the monks of Lindores concerning the service in the chapel of Dundemor (ibid., p. 69—72), and c. 1250 he attested the gift by Alexander, earl of Buchan of one merk of silver annually to the monastery of Arbroath (RAA,, I, p. 266). John de Dundemor witnessed letters of protection by Alexander 11 to the monks of Lesmahagow in 1230 (Kelso, 185). As Sir John de Dundemore he was one of the regents during the minority of Alexander III, and in 1257 he witnessed a grant of the advowson of the church of Cortaky (Inchaffray, p. 77). In 1260 he had a controversy with the monks of the Isle of May relative to the lands of Turbiech in Fife (May), and in 1266 there is mention of the debt of John de Dundemor to the king (ER., I, p. 31). Patrick de Dundemer of Fifeshire rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 204), Richard de Dunmore was juror on an inquest at Perth, 1305 (Bain, II, 1670), John de Dundemore witnessed a donation by Henry de Aynestrother to the Abbey of Dryburgh, c. 1330 (Dryburgh, p. 252), and Stephen de Dunmore in Fife is mentioned in 1406 (RPSA., p. 9). Richard Dunmure appears in Westerguird, 1585 (Scon, p. 228), John Dunmuir, notary in Dundee at end of sixteenth century, appears in record as Dunmuir, Dynmour, Dynmur, Dunmur, Dunmure, and Duinmuir (Wedd., p. 77, 88, etc.), John Dinsmure took the Test in Paisley, 1686 (RPC., 3. ser. XI, p. 496), and Alexander Dunmore is recorded in Torphichen, 1688 (Torphichen). Dinmuire and Dunmuire 1662, Dinmure 1661, Dynmure 1643. One or more of this name, removed to Bally Wattick in Antrim early in the seventeenth century, and from there the family emigrated to Londonderry (now Windham), New Hampshire in 1723. In the United States the name is usually spelled Dinsmore.

(Celtic) Dweller at the Great Hill-Fort [Gaelic and Irish dún, a hill-fort + mór, great] (English) Dweller at 1 the Hill-Moor [Old English dún, a hill + mór] 2 the Brown Moor [O.E, dun(n + mór]

(Scottish) One who came from Dunmore (big hill), the name of several places in Scotland.

A local name, signifying in Gaelic "the fortified hill," Many old strongholds in Scotland are so called. The surname was probably taken from a village so designated in Stirlingshire.

DUNMURE: Local: from Dunmore in Perthshire. The name signifies a black moor-from dun, black, and mure, a moor.