This interesting name is of medieval Scottish origin and is locational from the lands of Durie in the parish of Scoonie, Fife, or the "Braes of Dury" in the parish of Fowlis-Wester, in Pertshire. Dury is also a Swiss variant of the Provencal name "Rieu", which is a topographical name for someone who lived near a stream, and derives from the Old Provencal "Rieu", the Latin "Rivus", a stream. However, the Scottish connection is probably the more likely. The following examples illustrate the name development and variants, John Dury, cleric (1464), Walter Doray, a brother in the Priory of Cupar (1500), Andrew Dure (1519), Jontta Durye (1564). In M.J. Thorpe's "State Papers Relating to Scotland". It states that "The Laird of Dury complains in 1570 of the capture of one of his servants". One Andrew Dury, was bishop of Galloway, (died 1558). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Duncan de Durry (witness), which was dated circa 1258 - 1271, in the "Inchafrey Abbey Register, Scotland", during the reign of King Alexander 111, the King of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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