NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunger

An ancient Irish or Scottish surname derived from a place name or location.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Dunger surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plumstead, Rainham, East and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Horsham and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunger is 170 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.0%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1911

170 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunger had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunger surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunger 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 150 #18,328
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Dungers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plumstead, Rainham, East, London parishes, Sheffield and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Horsham, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, East Cambridgeshire and Blaby. 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 Plumstead London (South Districts)
2 Rainham, East Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
2 Horsham 012 Horsham
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 East Cambridgeshire 008 East Cambridgeshire
5 Blaby 010 Blaby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunger

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dunger, 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 Dunger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dunger 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, Dunger 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

Dunger is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dunger falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dunger 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 Dunger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dunger

The surname Dunger is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "dun," meaning a hill or elevated land, and the suffix "-ger," which may have indicated a person who lived on or near a hill.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Dunger can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1194, where a Robert Dunger is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the name was already established in parts of England during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across different regions of England. For instance, a William Dunger is mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272, and a John Dunger is recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

The Dunger surname is also believed to be linked to certain place names in England, such as Dungerhill in Gloucestershire and Dungerwin in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the Dunger surname throughout history include Robert Dunger (c. 1580-1655), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Compton Bassett in Wiltshire. Another notable figure was William Dunger (1612-1688), a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who was a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers in Bristol.

In the 18th century, John Dunger (1723-1798) was a respected lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Bengal, India, during the British colonial period.

Another influential individual was Mary Dunger (1790-1864), a philanthropist and social reformer from Gloucestershire, who was actively involved in various charitable causes and the promotion of education for the underprivileged.

Towards the 19th century, Thomas Dunger (1815-1885) was a well-known architect and surveyor from Somerset, responsible for designing several notable buildings in the region, including churches and public buildings.

While the surname Dunger has evolved and spread across different parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the English countryside, where it first emerged as a distinctive identifier for families and individuals living on or near elevated lands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunger 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. Norfolk leads with 26 Dungers recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.43x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 26 23.43x
Yorkshire 13 1.82x
Surrey 11 3.13x
Kent 9 3.66x
Middlesex 8 1.11x
Staffordshire 5 2.05x
Derbyshire 1 0.89x
Rutland 1 18.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Raynham in Norfolk leads with 10 Dungers recorded in 1881 and an index of 25000.00x.

Place Total Index
East Raynham 10 25000.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 61.90x
Plumstead 9 109.62x
Clapham 8 88.69x
Gooderstone 5 4166.67x
Great Barr 5 1785.71x
Middlesbrough 4 42.96x
St Marylebone London 3 7.79x
Beetley 2 2500.00x
Great Dunham 2 2000.00x
Paddington London 2 7.54x
West Rainham 2 2500.00x
Great Fransham 1 1250.00x
Hampstead London 1 8.90x
Heigham 1 16.81x
Lambeth 1 1.59x
Leziate 1 2000.00x
Litchurch 1 21.98x
Newington 1 3.75x
North Luffenham 1 909.09x
Pattesley 1 0.00x
Plumbstead 1 2000.00x
Shoreditch London 1 3.20x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.87x
Wandsworth 1 14.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Elizh. 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Blanch 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Elizebeth 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
G. 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Louie 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
William 3
David 2
Henry 2
John 2
Robert 2
Allan 1
Charles 1
Chas.C. 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Johnlon 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dunger households.

FAQ

Dunger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Dunger surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Dunger a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Dunger surname mean?

An ancient Irish or Scottish surname derived from a place name or location.

What does the Dunger map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dunger 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.