NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunhill

An English surname derived from a location name referring to a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Dunhill surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 335, ranked #13,611, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Doncaster, Easingwold and Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Kingston upon Hull and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunhill is 351 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.6%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

335

2016, ranked #13,611

Peak year

2009

351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunhill had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 335 in 2016, ranked #13,611.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 296 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunhill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunhill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunhill 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 171 #11,730
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 280 #11,665
1901 historical 277 #12,281
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 342 #12,379
1998 modern 343 #12,707
1999 modern 347 #12,696
2000 modern 337 #12,901
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 340 #12,884
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 337 #12,818
2005 modern 334 #12,818
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 346 #12,813
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 343 #13,416
2011 modern 335 #13,528
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 348 #13,320
2015 modern 340 #13,455
2016 modern 335 #13,611

Geography

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Where Dunhills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Doncaster, Easingwold, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton), Pontefract and Dewsbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Kingston upon Hull, Barnsley and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Easingwold Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dewsbury Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 010 Bradford
2 Kingston upon Hull 030 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Barnsley 020 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 003 Barnsley
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 001 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunhill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunhill

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Dunhill is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dunhill is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dunhill falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dunhill

The surname DUNHILL originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from a combination of the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "hyll" also meaning hill, effectively translating to "hill hill". This redundancy suggests the name likely originated as a description of a specific geographic feature or location.

One of the earliest known references to the DUNHILL name can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled in 1273 for parts of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. This record lists a John de Donhulle, with the spelling variation reflecting the common practice of scribes at the time.

The DUNHILL surname is also mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 for Wiltshire, where a Richard de Dunhull is recorded as a taxpayer. These early records provide evidence of the name's existence and regional distribution across southern and central England during the Middle Ages.

A notable early bearer of the DUNHILL name was John Dunhill, born around 1525 in Oxfordshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for Wallingford in 1571 and was involved in local government affairs.

In the 17th century, the DUNHILL name appeared in various parish records across England. For example, a Thomas Dunhill was baptized in 1642 in Wootton, Oxfordshire, while a William Dunhill married Joane Rayleigh in 1678 in Hungerford, Berkshire.

One of the most prominent individuals with the DUNHILL surname was Alfred Dunhill, born in 1872 in Hampstead, London. He founded the eponymous luxury goods company Alfred Dunhill Ltd, which became renowned for its fine tobacco products, leather goods, and accessories. Alfred Dunhill's entrepreneurial success helped establish the family name as a respected brand in the early 20th century.

Other notable figures with the DUNHILL surname include Thomas Dunhill (1876-1946), an English composer and music educator, and Richard Dunhill (1920-1995), a British actor and screenwriter best known for his work in television and film.

While the DUNHILL name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and settlement. However, its origins can be traced back to the hills and downs of southern and central England, where the earliest recorded instances of this distinctive surname emerged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunhill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunhill 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. Yorkshire leads with 216 Dunhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.95x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 216 7.95x
Staffordshire 16 1.73x
Lancashire 13 0.40x
Middlesex 12 0.44x
Surrey 10 0.75x
Sussex 5 1.08x
Lincolnshire 2 0.46x
Northumberland 2 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.54x
Devon 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.18x
Hampshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 24 Dunhills recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.65x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 24 15.65x
Easingwold 19 989.58x
Dewsbury 16 57.43x
Swinton In Rotherham 16 222.84x
Rawmarsh 15 156.25x
Doncaster 14 70.53x
Handsworth 14 61.38x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 11 339.51x
Lambeth 10 4.18x
Cudworth 8 816.33x
Selby 8 140.85x
Barnsley 7 24.98x
Hampstead London 6 14.05x
Holy Trinity 6 9.18x
Islington London 6 2.26x
New Malton 6 184.62x
Pontefract 6 102.56x
Shafton 6 1500.00x
Wakefield 6 28.78x
Scarborough 5 20.26x
Bentley Cum Arksey 4 281.69x
Bradford 4 26.28x
Manchester 4 2.73x
Ardsley 3 95.85x
Jevington 3 1071.43x
Kilburn 3 833.33x
Market Weighton Arras 3 170.45x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 23.77x
Barnetby Le Wold 2 250.00x
Brierley 2 434.78x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.75x
Elswick 2 6.14x
Hove 2 9.86x
Normanton 2 24.51x
North Meols 2 6.28x
Oldham 2 1.91x
Rolleston 2 909.09x
South Kirkby 2 338.98x
Thirsk 2 63.90x
Thornhill 2 25.22x
Uttoxeter 2 42.19x
York Minster Yard W 2 317.46x
Batley 1 3.87x
Bideford 1 16.37x
Fimber 1 588.24x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 5.72x
Howden 1 54.05x
Kexborough 1 172.41x
Maltby In Rotherham 1 131.58x
Old Malton 1 58.48x
Pontefract Park 1 1666.67x
Portsea 1 0.91x
Saddleworth 1 4.77x
Sculcoates 1 2.32x
Shipton In Great 1 250.00x
Skirpenbeck 1 666.67x
Thornton In Fylde 1 14.04x
Tollerton 1 208.33x
Wanstead 1 10.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 11
Annie 9
Martha 9
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Ellen 5
Hannah 5
Rebecca 4
Emily 3
Alice 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Maria 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elizth.M. 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Henderine 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kathrine 1
Kesiah 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Sara 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 17
Thomas 13
Richard 9
George 8
Joseph 8
Alfred 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
Chas. 2
Earnest 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Ben 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredr.Jas. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Hawley 1
Geo.Thos.Hawley 1
Harry 1
Hibbert 1
Hy. 1
Jn. 1
Mathew 1
Percy 1
Robinson 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Dunhill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunhill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Dunhill surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunhill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 335 in 2016. That gives Dunhill a modern rank of #13,611.

What does the Dunhill surname mean?

An English surname derived from a location name referring to a hill.

What does the Dunhill map show?

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