NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunckley

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dale of the dun cows".

In the 1881 census there were 223 people recorded with the Dunckley surname, ranking it #11,998 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, down from #11,998 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Flamstead, London parishes and Towcester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Albans, Oxford and Mole Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunckley is 229 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.1%.

1881 census count

223

Ranked #11,998

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

1891

229 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunckley had 223 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,998 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 229 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunckley surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dunckley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dunckley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunckley over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 192 #10,756
1861 historical 186 #12,751
1881 historical 223 #11,998
1891 historical 229 #13,539
1901 historical 209 #14,712
1911 historical 220 #14,088
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 221 #17,021
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 215 #17,159
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 213 #17,395
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 196 #18,404
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 197 #18,669
2008 modern 195 #18,958
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 199 #19,515
2011 modern 202 #19,154
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Dunckleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Flamstead, London parishes, Towcester and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Albans, Oxford, Mole Valley and Torridge. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Flamstead Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Towcester Northamptonshire
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Albans 006 St Albans
2 Oxford 014 Oxford
3 Mole Valley 012 Mole Valley
4 Torridge 009 Torridge
5 St Albans 001 St Albans

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunckley

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dunckley surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunckley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dunckley, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dunckley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dunckley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dunckley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dunckley is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dunckley falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dunckley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dunckley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dunckley

The surname Dunckley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Dunckleys or a similar variation. The name likely derives from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it appears as "de Dunckelega." This suggests that the name was initially used as a territorial designation, referring to an individual from a place called Dunckley or a similar-sounding locality.

During the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Duncklye" and "Dunckley," in records from counties like Cheshire and Lancashire. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, the Dunckley surname can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this name in the region. One notable example is John de Dunckley, who is mentioned in these rolls in 1348.

Moving into the 15th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1427, where it is recorded as "Duncley." This further highlights the spread of the surname across different counties in England.

Notable individuals with the surname Dunckley throughout history include:

1. William Dunckley (c. 1525-1598), an English poet and clergyman, known for his religious works and translations. 2. Thomas Dunckley (1724-1786), a prominent English mathematician and astronomer, best known for his contributions to the calculation of eclipses. 3. Elizabeth Dunckley (1808-1882), a British writer and philanthropist, known for her efforts in promoting education and social reform. 4. John Dunckley (1844-1928), an English businessman and industrialist, who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire. 5. Margaret Dunckley (1915-2012), a British educator and author, renowned for her work in promoting inclusive education and advocating for children with special needs.

While the Dunckley surname may have originated from a specific location, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunckley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunckley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northamptonshire leads with 54 Dunckleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.39x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 54 26.39x
Middlesex 38 1.75x
Lancashire 33 1.28x
Staffordshire 18 2.45x
Warwickshire 17 3.10x
Hertfordshire 13 8.67x
Bedfordshire 8 7.10x
Berkshire 8 4.90x
Yorkshire 8 0.37x
Kent 6 0.81x
Leicestershire 5 2.07x
Surrey 5 0.47x
Oxfordshire 4 2.98x
Cheshire 2 0.42x
Hampshire 2 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.76x
Gloucestershire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Towcester in Northamptonshire leads with 19 Dunckleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 900.47x.

Place Total Index
Towcester 19 900.47x
Bethnal Green London 13 13.76x
Preston 12 17.38x
Gayton 11 2558.14x
St Pancras London 10 5.71x
Bilston 9 63.25x
Westleigh 9 153.58x
Flamstead 8 579.71x
Milton 8 1481.48x
Reading St Giles 8 49.94x
Fulham London 7 22.19x
Houghton Regis 7 388.89x
Manchester 7 6.03x
Wootton 6 983.61x
Aston 5 3.31x
Bilton 5 396.83x
Didsbury 5 145.77x
Leicester St Mary 5 25.65x
Tonbridge 5 18.68x
Wolverhampton 5 8.86x
Altofts 4 168.07x
Clerkenwell London 4 7.79x
Foleshill 4 69.32x
Harpenden 4 174.67x
Heptonstall 4 132.45x
Neithrop 4 88.69x
Clapham 3 11.03x
Northampton All Sts 3 43.23x
Wednesfield 3 27.75x
Collingtree 2 1052.63x
Harbury 2 224.72x
Hyde 2 14.11x
Northampton St Giles 2 25.67x
Poplar London 2 4.87x
Portsea 2 2.29x
Battersea 1 1.25x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 7.03x
Burton Upon Trent 1 5.82x
Ealing 1 5.14x
Hardingstone 1 51.28x
Irchester 1 78.74x
Lambeth 1 0.53x
Lathbury 1 1111.11x
Lee 1 9.28x
Luton 1 5.13x
Oxhill 1 500.00x
Peakirk 1 555.56x
St Albans St Stephen 1 76.34x
St Marylebone London 1 0.86x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dunckley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dunckley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 20
George 10
John 9
Henry 8
Joseph 8
Thomas 8
James 6
Albert 3
Edward 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Newman 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Dennis 1
Ernest 1
Percy 1
Russell 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Dunckley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunckley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 223 people were recorded with the Dunckley surname. That placed it at #11,998 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunckley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Dunckley a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Dunckley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dale of the dun cows".

What does the Dunckley map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dunckley bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.