The name “Dohr” is derived from the Celtic "Dunon", meaning “fortified hill”. Dohr had its first documentary mention about 1200. In 1210, Count Gerhard of Are was enfeoffed with “"eine villa quae dicitur Dure juxta Cochem"” (“an estate which is called Dure next to Cochem”) by Archbishop of Trier Johann I. About 1475 a chapel, the forerunner of today's church, was first mentioned as a branch of the Cochem parish church. In a visitation report from 1569, it was described as "Capella in Doir".