Domain names were first registered in 1985, and so far it’s not clear which was the first domain brokerage firm.
Rumor has it that it was BuyDomains, founded by Mike Mann in 1997 or 1998.
But now we came across an even older brokerage firm, Wellington Domains.
Operating from WellingtonDomains.com, these fine fellows draw direct lineage from Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington.
Says the web site under the “about us” section:
Formed in 1794 by Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, WellingtonDomains.com has been a leader in the Internet domain name industry for more than 200 years.
What a remarkable heritage! Surely some great memorabilia must be hanging on the virtual walls of the brokerage, and one can only imagine the acreage of real and virtual land sold by their famous ancestor since the 1800s.
It’s all in jest, of course.
Wellington Domains is so called due to the founder living in Wellington, Florida. Check out their portfolio of domains, including TooMuchAndNeverEnough.com, the title of Mary Trump’s new book about the US president, Donald Trump.
