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The name Dunlop derives
from the place of the same name in the Cunningham district of Ayrshire. The origin is
thought to be Dun-lub, a description of a fortified hill at a bend in either a road or
stream. In the village of Dunlop just such a feature exists. The name was first recorded
in 1260 when Dominus Willelmus Dunlop was a witness to an indenture. He is also the first
member of the family of Dunlop of Dunlop to appear in Scottish documents. About the end of
the 14th century the estate of Dunlop passed for a short time into the Barony of Stewarton
but was soon restored to its original owners. In 1489 Constantine Dunlop was appointed by
Parliament along with other barons to collect the rents of the Crown; his original
designation was "of Hunthall" but in 1499 he took the title Dunlop of Dunlop.
One of his daughters married James Stewart, Sheriff of Bute and great grandson of King
Robert II. Their grandson was James Dunlop of Dunlop, a strong supporter of the
Presbyterian cause in the reign of Charles I. To protect his estates from tenure he
resigned in favour of his next brother who later returned the estates to his nephew, the
rightful heir. He had also supported the Presbyterian cause and was obliged to hand over a
considerable proportion of his estates to the Earl of Dundonald. He was succeeded by his
son, Alexander, a zealous covenanter who was forfeited his estates; he later emigrated to
America and became Sheriff of South Carolina.
His son was later to acquire back both his father's lands and those previously passed to
the Earl of Dundonald. The estates and title were successfully continued until 1838 when
the title Dunlop of Dunlop or Dunlop of that Ilk became extinct. |
