Some people think my last name is funny. I was teased about it from time to time in school, some store clerks chuckle when I give them my credit card, and I had one bank teller who didn’t believe it was a real name. Anyway, here’s some background info.
I. From Alan Dearlove
The family name of Dearlove and all its variants is derived from two old english words “dierne” meaning “secret” and “lufu” meaning love. The earliest currently recorded version of the name is from the 1206 records of Yorkshire taxes paid to King John. William Derneluue paid 10 shillings and 4 pence as a merchant tax and 4 pence as an individual tax.
Since that time until the present day the Dearloves have survived in Yorkshire, and emigrating throughout the new world. One of the Dearloves was in the first 20,000 to arrive in Virginia, US in the early 1600’s.
II. From Edwin Dearlove
The surname Dearlove was a nickname or an expression of affection. The name was found in Yorkshire, England six centuries ago, and it has been represented there since that time.
The first mention we have found to date is in the York Public Library where there is a reference in the Surname reference section of the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, dated 1275. At this time it was spelt as Dernlof. There is also a further entry spelt Dernelof in the Wakefield County Rolls in 1379. Dernelof survives today as Dearlove which has usually been interpreted as a straight forward complimentary name similar to Truelove.
III. Famous Dearloves
Sir Richard Dearlove: Former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service
Richard Dearlove: British DJ who goes by the name Diddy
Mark Dearlove: 19th Century Violin maker
dearlove.ca 
my great grandmother was a dearlove in york yorkshire england, so yet another link to your past.
hello.
Other branches of the Dearlove family exist in London and (my own branch) Berkshire, England. Some of these emigrated to Vancouver, Canada and Laramie, Wy. USA at the turn of the last century. are you descended from them? Currently expanding the family tree (as I know it) any extra information would be very welcome.
Stephen Dearlove.
…I was actually looking for the Mountain Nymph….Oread,as he was once known…
i was looking on your site at the gravestone of A Dearlove . Albert Edward Dearlove was my great -grandfather and like you say was born in Fulham in London . it was strange to see his headstone . any more info please do not hesitate to contact me xTina Pither ( nee Dearlove )
My grandads name was albert edward dearlove x
thats really weird that we both have albert edward in our family x have you got any more names of family past , may be a link somewhere
Hi Tina,
My grand-father was Albert Edward Dearlove but born in Chertsey, Surrey. Obviously NOT yours as mine died at Merrylands in NSW Australia. I wonder if we are some relation because I know names are repeated. My Albert Edward’s parents were George Dearlove and Jane Drewry.
Im claire dearlove from hull yorkshire.. just thought id leave a quick message its weird seeing your surname on the internet..my grandads name was albert edward dearlove x
the names albert and edward carry right through my dearlove family also george and joseph , my side of the family started in york and then in later years in london
Hi Tina
See the threads are a little dated now, are you still researching you family tree. We are a branch of the London Dearloves.
Hiya , yes I have done most of my family tree , which branch of the London dearloves are you from ?
My name is Stephen Dearlove too, but I’m from the Berkshire branch rather than the London one (see above). Always interested in anything to do with the name / family
My grandfather was Edward Dearlove .He migrated to Australia in the 1920s or 30s and I have never heard the name since
Hi Malcolm, I’m your cousin, Jenny Dearlove. I have a painting done by him of the Lennox Bridge in Parramatta. Where are you these days. I’ve traced the family tree way back if you are interested. We are from the Berkshire Dearloves.
My Great Grandmother was Hannah Dearlove, born 1842 in York. Died 14/5/1891 in York. She married (1) James Hutton, & (2) Robert Russell of Bridlington.
Sir Richard Dearlove is my Mom’s uncle (cousin to her father, Joe Dearlove). I would love to know how to get hold of Sir Richard Dearlove
Hello All, my Grandfather was John Thomas Joseph, known as Jack from Harrogate, Was Secretary for the Musicians Union, I lived with him when I was little. I used to visit the Dearlove Violin Shop in Kirkstall Abbey until they dismantled it, which I discovered with great sadness when I took my son to see it. Would love to connect with other Dearloves
The family have recently been looking into the old family tree and our Dearlove’s have always stayed in the same area near York. Interesting to see this websites links to York and Yorkshire.
I am a current Dearlove but am from the Oxford branch. My great great grandfather was a metropolitan police officer named Charles Dearlove
I’m Jack Dearlove, we are the Essex branch of the Dearlove family, Mark Dearlove the violinist is a direct relative. Frank was my gran dad.
Hi – If any of you are doing the Dearlove family tree (London suburbs, Berkshire, Canada, US, Australia too perhaps) and want to see if we can swap info on our family trees please let me know. I’m a descendant of William James Dearlove in London. (Wandsworth, Lambeth, Putney, Fulham, Willesden etc).
Hi!
I would love to make more connections and add to the Dearlove family tree. Our branch is in Ontario. My grandfather, Kenneth Alan Dearlove, and his wife, Iris Edith Dearlove (née Wiggins), came to Canada in 1957. My grandfather has collected quite a bit of information, but I would love to know more. Where are you located?
Hi Lyndsey, My Dearloves are from London and Berkshire. My grandfather is Albert Edward Dearlove and his father is George Dearlove. I’m in Australia.
Hi, did you get any info on the Dearloves yet ? We are old family friends. Sadly Iris passed away in 2018, you can google her obit (location Markham Ontario) we just reconnected with the kids this year!!!
Hi Lyndsey – I’m also located in Ontario. My part of the Dearlove family tree is based around the Cambridge area, although we’ve spread out a bit over the past few years. Coincidentally, my dad’s name was also Kenneth.
My Uncle Paul has done a lot of work on our family tree. He’s also started a Dearlove World Family group on Facebook, which is starting to attract more members from Canada and abroad.
Hi
I am interested in a Dearlove, who married one of my distant relatives. John James Dearlove married Esther Daniels at All Saints in Edmonton, Middlesex in May 1842. Unfortunately their marriage wasn’t a lasting one, as John pleaded guilty as the Old Bailey in March 1844 to stealing a gelding worth £7 and was transported to Tasmania for 10 years. The last I heard of him, he was given a conditional pardon in June 1853. I would be interested if anyone based in Australia has any idea as to what happened to him after his release.
I know if tried to marry another convict whilst serving his time, a request which was initially granted but later refused, as the Bishop argued that his wife in England was still alive. She was indeed alive, though living with another man, who she eventually married in June 1863. Whether this signifies that John had passed, I have no idea. She re-married, however, as a widow.
As I said I would welcome any information.
Hello, I am really pleased to have found this site. My mother Jacqueline Dearlove is the harpist in the family photo inside the shop and standing next to her is my grandmother Doris Dearlove. Uncle Jack is also in the photo.
As a very young boy I was a bystander when the photo was taken. I remember being shown the tiny violin. Such a shame it has gone missing.
I know so little about our branch of the Dearlove family sound and before Doris. If anyone has a family tree showing how we fit in I would be very interested to see it.