Durisdeer is often taken as an Anglo-Latin corruption of dorus doire, entrance to the wood or thicket; but the word dair is also an old Gaelic word for an oakwood, and this is probably why de Durisdeer had acorns on his seal.
As a subdean of the diocese of Glasgow he had a close relationship with Bishop William Turnbull.
By 1450, de Durisdeer was a dean of the diocese of Aberdeen, and in the period 1451–1453 he effectively became the ambassador of King James II of Scotland to the papal court.
De Durisdeer was an active player in the national governmental scene, attending the parliaments of 1464, 1467, 1468, 1469 and 1471.
He also played a role as an ambassador, visiting England in 1463 to negotiate the Treaty of York and travelling to Denmark in 1468 to arrange a marriage between the young King James III and Margaret of Denmark.