The Dillon motto: Dum Spiro, Spero (While I breathe, I hope)
Dillon is an Irish surname of Breton origin, descending from a cadet branch of Viscomte de Leon in Northern Brittany. It first appeared in Ireland with the arrival of Sir Henry de Leon, in the service of Prince John in 1185. Sir Henry married Maud de Courcy, daughter of Sir John de Courcy and Affrica Guðrøðardóttir . Awarded large tracts of land by in Meath and Westmeath, one of the Dillons’ first Mott & Baileys can still be found at Dunnamona before the establishment of stone structures such as Portlick Castle .
The name evolved into the Irish-language "Diolun"/English-language "Dillon" (not to be confused with the Welsh given name Dylan ). It is particularly common in the Meath and Westmeath counties of Ireland where the Dillons were granted vast areas of land. The name is widespread throughout Ireland. The Dillon family later became the Barons Clonbrock and Earls of Roscommon. The family in Ireland was honoured with six compositions (music & poetry) composed by Turlough Carolan : Tiarna Duilleain – Lord Dillon; Róis Duilleain – Lady Rose Dillon jig; Gearalt Duilleain – Gerald Dillon; Fainní Duilleain – Fanny Dillon; Comhairleoir Duilleain – Coun. Dillon; Lúcás Ó Duilleain – Luke Dillon.[citation needed ] .
Notable people with the surname "Dillon" include[ edit ]
A. J. Dillon (born 1998), American football player
Alan Dillon (born 1982), Irish politician
Alfred Dillon (1841–1915), New Zealand politician
Andrew Dillon (born 1954), English health executive
Andrew Dillon (sports administrator) , Australian sports administrator
Andy Dillon (born 1962), American politician
Ann Turner Dillon , American political figure
Antron Dillon (born 1985), American football player
Arthur Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Artie Dillon (1894–1948), Australian rules footballer
Asia Kate Dillon (born 1984), American actor
Austin Dillon (born 1990), American race car driver
Barbara Dillon , American author
Bartholomew Dillon (??–1533), Irish judge
Bernard Dillon (1888–1941), Irish jockey
Bethany Dillon (born 1988), American musician
Bill Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Bobby Dillon (1930–2019), American football player
Brandon Dillon (born 1972), American politician
Brandon Dillon (American football) (born 1997), American football player
Brenden Dillon (born 1990), Canadian ice hockey player
Brian Dillon (1830–1872), Irish activist
Brian Dillon (judge) (1925–2003), British lawyer
Cara Dillon (born 1975), Northern Irish folk singer
Carey Dillon (1627–1689), Irish nobleman
Carmen Dillon (1908–2000), English art director
Cass Dillon (born 1986), American singer-songwriter
C. Douglas Dillon (1909–2003), American politician
Cecil Dillon (1908–1969), Canadian-American ice hockey player
Cecily Dillon (1603–1653), Irish nun
Charles Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Chester C. Dillon (1887–1971), American football player and coach
Chris Dillon (born 1965), American attorney
Christopher M Dillon (born 1971), American football player, and horse trainer
Christopher P. Dillon (born 1980), American workplace safety advocate
Cian Dillon (born 1988), Irish hurler
Clarence Dillon (1882–1979), American businessman
Constantine Dillon (1813–1853), English army officer
Corey Dillon (born 1974), American football player
Costa Dillon (born 1953), American writer and actor
Danica Dillon , American pornographic actress
Daniel Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
David Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Dean Dillon (born 1955), American musician
Denis E. Dillon (1933–2010), American politician
Denise Dillon (born 1973), American basketball player and coach
Dennis Anthony Dillon (born 1959), American minister
Denny Dillon (born 1951), American actress
Derrick Dillon (born 1995), American football player
Des Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Doug Dillon (1924–1999), New Zealand lawyer
Éamonn Dillon (born 1992), Irish hurler
Edmund Dillon (born 1955), Trinidadian military officer
Edward Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Eilís Dillon (1920–1994), Irish author
E. J. Dillon (1854–1933), Irish author
Eleanor Dillon (1601–1629), Irish nun
Elizabeth Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Emer Dillon (born 1984), Irish camogie player
Enrica Clay Dillon (1885–1946), American opera singer
Eoin Dillon (born 1987), Irish hurler
Eric Dillon (1881–1946), Irish soldier
Gareth Dillon , Irish Gaelic footballer
Garrett Dillon (1640–1696), Irish politician
Gary Dillon (born 1959), Canadian ice hockey player
Gary P. Dillon (born 1943), American politician
George Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Geraldine Dillon (1936–2020), Australian chef
Geraldine Plunkett Dillon (1891–1986), Irish activist
Gerard Dillon (1916–1971), Irish artist
Gerard B. Dillon (born 1962), Irish politician
Glyn Dillon (born 1971), British costume designer
Griffin Dillon (born 2003), American soccer player
Gus Dillon (1881–1952), Canadian lacrosse player
Jack Dillon (1891–1942), American boxer
Jake Dillon (born 1993), Irish hurler
James Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Jane Dillon , British designer
Jen O'Malley Dillon (born 1976), American political strategist
Jerome Dillon (born 1969), American musician
Jessica Dillon (born 1995), Australian footballer
Jimmy Dillon (born 1978/1979), American politician
J. J. Dillon (born 1942), American professional wrestler
Joan Dillon (born 1935), American-French royal
Joan Dillon (historic preservation activist) (1925–2008), American activist
Joe Dillon (born 1975), American baseball player,
Joe Dillon (born 1985), Mayo U21 All Ireland medalist
Joey Dillon (born 1992), American soccer player
Joey Rocketshoes Dillon , American historian
John Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Joseph E. Dillon (1921–1990), American politician
Josephine Dillon (1884–1971), American actress
Julia Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Julie Dillon (born 1982), American illustrator
Marshall Dillon (cricketer) (1925–1979), Australian cricketer
Martin Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Mary Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Matt Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Matthew Dillon (born 1966), American software engineer
Melinda Dillon (1939–2023), American actress
Merton L. Dillon (1924–2003), American historian and author
Mervyn Dillon (born 1974), West Indian cricketer
Mia Dillon (born 1955), American actress
Michelle Dillon (born 1973), British triathlete
Michael Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Millicent Dillon (born 1925), American writer
Myles Dillon (1900–1972), Irish historian
Sandy Dillon , American singer-songwriter
Sarinder Singh Dillon (born 1946), Hong Kong field hockey player
Scott Dillon (1928–2018), Australian surfer
Sean Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Shaun Dillon (born 1984), Scottish footballer
Sheila Dillon , British journalist
Sheri Dillon , American attorney
Sidney Dillon (1812–1892), American railroad executive
Siobhan Dillon (born 1984), English actress
Steven Dillon (disambiguation) , multiple people
Susie Dillon , Canadian politician