Dillon (surname)

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..

A

 * 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

B

 * 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

C

 * 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

D

 * 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

E

 * 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

F

 * Fannie Charles Dillon (1881–1947), American pianist
 * Fanny Dillon (1785–1836), French noblewoman
 * Francis R. Dillon (1939–2023), American general
 * Frank Dillon (1873–1931), American baseball player
 * Frank J. Dillon (1867–1954), American artist

G

 * 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

H

 * Harold Dillon (1844–1932), English antiquary
 * Helen Dillon (born 1940), Scottish gardener
 * Henry Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Herman Dillon (1931–2004), American tribal leader
 * Hook Dillon (1924–2004), American basketball player
 * H. S. Dillon (1945–2019), Indonesian politician
 * Hugh Dillon (born 1963), Canadian musician and actor

J

 * 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
 * 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

K

 * Karen Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Kathleen Dillon (1898–1980), British theatre designer
 * Keir Dillon (born 1977), American snowboarder
 * Kevin Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Kirsty Dillon (born 1976), English actress
 * K. J. Dillon (born 1993), American football player
 * Kristine Dillon, American academic administrator
 * Kurt Dillon (born 1994), Australian rugby league footballer
 * Kym Dillon (born 1959), Australian television presenter

L

 * Lawrence Dillon (born 1959), American composer
 * Linda Dillon (born 1978), Northern Irish politician
 * Lisa Dillon (born 1979), English actress
 * Lucas Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Lucy Dillon (born 1974), British writer
 * Luke Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people

M

 * 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

N

 * Nicholas Dillon (born 1997), Trinidadian footballer

O

 * Oliver Dillon (born 1998), English actor
 * Olivia Dillon (born 1973), Irish cyclist
 * Oskar Dillon (born 1999), Australian rules footballer

P

 * Pa Dillon (1938–2013), Irish hurler
 * Packy Dillon (1853–1902), American baseball player
 * Patricia Dillon, American politician
 * Patrick Dillon (1832–1868), Irish-American priest
 * Patrick Joseph Dillon (1841–1889), Irish priest
 * Paul Dillon (footballer) (born 1978), Irish footballer
 * Peter Dillon (1788–1847), English merchant
 * Phyllis Dillon (1944–2004), Jamaican singer

R

 * Ricardo Dillon (born 1964), Argentine football manager
 * Richard C. Dillon (1877–1966), American politician
 * Ricky Dillon (born 1992), American singer-songwriter
 * Robert Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Ron Dillon Jr. (born 1975), American politician
 * Rosie Dillon (born 1996), Australian rules footballer
 * Ross Dillon (born 1947), Australian rules footballer
 * Ryan Dillon (born 1988), American puppeteer

S

 * 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

T

 * Ted Dillon (1881–1941), English cricketer
 * Terence Dillon (born 1964), British rower
 * Terry Dillon (1941–1964), American football player
 * Theobald Dillon (??–1624), Irish military commander
 * Théobald Dillon (1745–1792), Irish general
 * Thomas Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Tim Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Todd Dillon (born 1962), American football player
 * Ty Dillon (born 1992), American race car driver

U

 * Una Dillon (1903–1993), British bookseller

V

 * Veer Singh Dillon (1792–1842), Indian general
 * Vince Dillon (1923–2005), English footballer
 * Vincent Dillon (??–1651), Irish martyr

W

 * Wayne Dillon (born 1955), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Wentworth Dillon (1637–1685), Irish poet and landlord
 * William Dillon (disambiguation), multiple people