NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunkerton

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the town or settlement of people called Duncas".

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Dunkerton surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 172, ranked #21,648, down from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe and Pennard, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunkerton is 197 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.2%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

172

2016, ranked #21,648

Peak year

1998

197 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunkerton had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016, ranked #21,648.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 172 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunkerton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunkerton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunkerton 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 142 #13,428
1861 historical 163 #14,242
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 172 #16,663
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 197 #18,283
1999 modern 197 #18,400
2000 modern 187 #18,990
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 185 #19,212
2003 modern 180 #19,347
2004 modern 174 #19,871
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 172 #20,321
2008 modern 178 #20,094
2009 modern 178 #20,486
2010 modern 184 #20,521
2011 modern 190 #19,942
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 179 #21,028
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 172 #21,648

Geography

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Where Dunkertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe, Pennard, West, St Maughans and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Ringwood Hampshire
2 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
3 Pennard, West Somerset
4 St Maughans Monmouthshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 013 Mendip
2 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
3 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent
4 Mendip 009 Mendip
5 Bath and North East Somerset 027 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunkerton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunkerton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dunkerton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dunkerton is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dunkerton falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dunkerton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dunkerton

The surname Dunkerton is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from a place name that combines the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who resided near or came from a settlement on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1198, which mentions a Robert de Dunkerton. This indicates that the name was already established in that region by the late 12th century. Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Donkerton, Dunkartone, and Dunkarton, reflecting the fluid nature of name spellings during that era.

The Dunkerton surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset and Wiltshire, where several locations bearing the name existed, including the village of Dunkerton near Bath. Records from the 13th and 14th centuries mention individuals such as Josceline de Dunkerton and William de Dunkerton, who were likely associated with these places.

In the 16th century, the Dunkerton name can be found in the parish records of Wiltshire, where John Dunkerton was recorded as residing in the village of Steeple Ashton in 1560. Another notable figure was Richard Dunkerton, who served as the Bishop of Salisbury from 1621 to 1639, during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War.

Moving into the 17th century, the Dunkerton surname gained prominence with Sir John Dunkerton (1592-1676), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Bristol. He played a significant role in the city's economic and political affairs, serving as Mayor of Bristol in 1653.

Other individuals of note include William Dunkerton (1718-1789), a prominent London bookseller and publisher, and Thomas Dunkerton (1781-1854), a renowned English landscape painter and engraver.

Throughout its history, the Dunkerton surname has maintained a strong connection to its roots in the English counties of Somerset and Wiltshire, where it originated as a locational name derived from the Old English words for a settlement on a hill.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunkerton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunkerton 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. Somerset leads with 62 Dunkertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.68x.

County Total Index
Somerset 62 26.68x
Middlesex 13 0.90x
Monmouthshire 13 12.46x
Surrey 12 1.71x
Sussex 8 3.29x
Durham 6 1.40x
Wiltshire 6 4.70x
Derbyshire 5 2.21x
Hampshire 4 1.35x
Herefordshire 4 6.76x
Lincolnshire 4 1.73x
Essex 3 1.05x
Lancashire 3 0.18x
Devon 1 0.33x
Glamorgan 1 0.40x
Hertfordshire 1 1.01x
Kent 1 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shepton Mallet in Somerset leads with 22 Dunkertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 842.91x.

Place Total Index
Shepton Mallet 22 842.91x
West Pennard 10 2702.70x
Baltonsborough 7 2000.00x
Battersea 7 13.18x
Butleigh 7 1842.11x
Houghton Le Spring 6 202.02x
Bakewell 5 403.23x
Hackney London 5 6.18x
North Wootton 5 3571.43x
St Maughans 5 5555.56x
Wisborough Green 5 609.76x
Abergavenny 4 102.30x
Ringwood 4 211.64x
Brighton 3 6.11x
Chelsea London 3 6.90x
Devizes St James 3 176.47x
Liverpool 3 2.88x
Pilton 3 545.45x
St Michael Lincoln 3 476.19x
West Ham 3 4.77x
Aymestrey 2 625.00x
Camberwell 2 2.17x
East Pennard 2 666.67x
Glastonbury 2 105.26x
Hereford St John 2 294.12x
Llanover 2 56.18x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 32.00x
Westwood 2 769.23x
Aberdare 1 5.80x
Bath St James 1 41.32x
Bradford On Avon 1 24.45x
Bushey 1 42.19x
Croydon 1 2.56x
Eltham 1 34.60x
Grosmont 1 285.71x
Kensington London 1 1.25x
Monmouth 1 36.10x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.99x
Reigate Foreign 1 13.12x
St Marylebone London 1 1.30x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 140.85x
Streatham 1 9.34x
Walcot 1 8.08x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 53.48x
Westleigh 1 400.00x
Westminster St James 1 6.74x
Wincanton 1 83.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Ellen 7
Annie 4
Hannah 4
Alice 3
Florence 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Rose 2
Sabina 2
Allice 1
Alma 1
Bess 1
Celia 1
Eliza 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Ida 1
Jessie 1
Lidia 1
Lottie 1
Lucy 1
Marina 1
Melita 1
Nelly 1
Priscilla 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Sushana 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
William 8
James 6
John 5
Thomas 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Albert 1
Bertrim 1
Chas. 1
Colston 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dunkerton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunkerton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Dunkerton surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunkerton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016. That gives Dunkerton a modern rank of #21,648.

What does the Dunkerton surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the town or settlement of people called Duncas".

What does the Dunkerton map show?

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