Dorizac Family in England - Name Origin?

[EHarling]

Hello!

I'm researching an interesting surname and route of my family tree. My great, great, great grandmother was Louisa Dorizac, born in Sheerness, Kent in 1848. This name caught my eye as it's clearly not English and I've been trying to find the origin.

Louisa's father was John Dorizac, born in c.1795 in New Windsor. John was part of the Royal Waggon Train at Waterloo in 1815. He then joined the Navy and was an A.B. aboard the ship Glasgow (some time between 1793-1827). He married Louisa Collins in 1832 in Kent, then after she died at an unknown time, married Ellen Chapman some time before 1844 when they have their first child together. They go on to have 7 children, always living in Sheerness, Kent. Later in life John is a Greenwich Pensioner. He dies in 1864 in Sheerness.

John Dorizac's father is Peter Dorizac. Although I can't find a baptism for John, there is only one Dorizac in Britain born before him - Peter. Therefore, it must be his father. Peter is born c.1770 (not sure where). He marries Sarah Thompson in Clewer, Berkshire in 1794. After she dies in 1797, he marries Elizabeth Meads in Hampshire in 1811. He dies in 1834 in New Windsor, Berkshire.

This Dorizac family is the only family with that surname in Britain until modern times. Most other Dorizacs in the world seem to be in New Zealand, Australia or America. I can't find any with that spelling of the name in Europe. It seems that the Dorizacs were possibly not originally called that, but spelt their name that way when they came to England. The Dorizacs in New Zealand etc. are probably descendants from this family that emigrated.

I would love to find where the Dorizac surname originates and what the original version of this name was. Even in the British Dorizac family, it's often recorded or transcribed wrong (e.g Dorizas/Dowizac/Doryzac etc). I'd also love to know where Peter Dorizac came from and what he did, as I can't find any information about him. Could there be a connection to another country from his son being in the Navy/fighting at Waterloo?

I'd be very grateful for any information.

Ellen Harling

[rosie99]

married Ellen Chapman some time before 1844 when they have their first child together

DORIZAC, ELIZA       mmn CHAPMAN 
GRO Reference: 1842  Sept Quarter in SHEPPEY UNION  Volume 05  Page 400

My great, great, great grandmother was Louisa Dorizac, born in Sheerness, Kent in 1848.

DORIZAC, LOUISA       mmn CHAPMAN 
GRO Reference: 1845  Sept Quarter in SHEPPEY  Volume 05  Page 437

[rosie99]

1841
John Dorizac
Rank   Able Seaman
Vessel   Camperdown
Pay book number   88
Relationship   Trustee Ellen Chapman

also mentioned on that document is Caroline Ann Dorizac age 6 - baptised Parish Church Chatham

[rosie99]

Similar sounding surname
DRAESEKE

[iluleah]

Dorizas is a Greek name........ however 'zac' is an old Austrailian slang word for a sixpence

[EHarling]

Thanks for the help rosie99, I'd got the dates of birth from censuses, but the GRO records are more accurate.

The 1841 document sounds fascinating - what sort of document is it? And where could I see it? I don't have a Caroline Dorizac, but I think she must be from the first wife. After researching that ship, it seems as though he must have lived with his first wife around Chatham docks, then ended up in Sheppey with Ellen Chapman after the ship traveled there.

iluleah, yes I originally thought Dorizas, the Greek name, could be theirs. However, I also find variations such as Dorizack and Dorzack in Germany, Drizac in France, Doriszak and Darazac in Hungary. So I don't want to make assumptions without knowing for sure, as it could be any of those! I'm thinking that the name could possibly be Prussian?

[iluleah]

Thanks for the help rosie99, I'd got the dates of birth from censuses, but the GRO records are more accurate.

The 1841 document sounds fascinating - what sort of document is it? And where could I see it? I don't have a Caroline Dorizac, but I think she must be from the first wife. After researching that ship, it seems as though he must have lived with his first wife around Chatham docks, then ended up in Sheppey with Ellen Chapman after the ship traveled there.

iluleah, yes I originally thought Dorizas, the Greek name, could be theirs. However, I also find variations such as Dorizack and Dorzack in Germany, Drizac in France, Doriszak and Darazac in Hungary. So I don't want to make assumptions without knowing for sure, as it could be any of those! I'm thinking that the name could possibly be Prussian?

Yes, the good thing is it is just a word used as a name and until the middle of the 20th century spelling was unimportant and many people simply didn't read/write when names were first taken, so it could be spelt many ways depending on ho wrote it along with migration names were spelt how they sounded so a name of another language could be spelt very differently to how it was originally spelt ...........its just a name so just a clue when  looking and researching real records will eventually take you back  to where it originated ( hopefully)

[EHarling]

Yes, the good thing is it is just a word used as a name and until the middle of the 20th century spelling was unimportant and many people simply didn't read/write when names were first taken, so it could be spelt many ways depending on ho wrote it along with migration names were spelt how they sounded so a name of another language could be spelt very differently to how it was originally spelt ...........its just a name so just a clue when  looking and researching real records will eventually take you back  to where it originated ( hopefully)

Hopefully! I was hoping it would be an easily identifiable name in the beginning - but clearly not!

I'm wondering which records I could look at to try and find where Peter Dorizac was born? I can't find a baptism for him and his marriage certificate isn't available via the GRO.

[Anne Forrest]

Hi Louisa Dorizac was my great granddmother. I have done some research on the Dorizacs and may have some information you might be interested in. However, I have not found the origin of the name although the family story goes that it was a French protestant name and I have found the name in French records.
Regards
Anne