Most of us think of "office" as one of those places you go to work from nine to five or longer. Perhaps either the British comedy (or it's American version) "The Office" comes to mind for laugh filled episodes. Still the word "office" has a much more exalted meaning such as: Barack Obama was just elected to the OFFICE of the Presidency.
An office is an appointment or election to a titled position of honor that is often represented in family names from the time of the original appointment. One such is my middle name: Durward. You've never heard of a job called "Durward"? Maybe if I say, Door Ward or Gate Keeper it will make more sense. So what is a Door Ward (in family and first names now spelled Dorward or Durward)? While it could be a post as simple as an honorary Guard for an important person either with the church or the nobility, in medieval Scotland the office of king’s doorward was one of considerable honor.
In the case of my family, the name dates from Thomas de Lundin guardian of a Scottish king during his minority, attainment of an earldom and life in a rather pleasant castle. Uquhart is a bit of a ruin now, but if you go there, you will have a good lookout point to see the Loch Ness Monster.
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