NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunkling

A surname derived from the Old English word for a small hill or dune.

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Dunkling surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and North Meols. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Thanet and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunkling is 179 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.8%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1998

179 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunkling had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 133 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dunkling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunkling surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunkling 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 111 #22,421
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 179 #19,372
1999 modern 173 #19,935
2000 modern 175 #19,764
2001 modern 170 #19,838
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 154 #22,034
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 151 #23,377
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 163 #22,547
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Dunklings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, North Meols, Sutton and Enfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Thanet and Huntingdonshire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
3 North Meols Lancashire
4 Sutton Cambridgeshire
5 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 006 Fenland
2 Thanet 001 Thanet
3 Huntingdonshire 013 Huntingdonshire
4 Fenland 008 Fenland
5 Huntingdonshire 006 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunkling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunkling

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dunkling, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dunkling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dunkling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dunkling 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

Dunkling is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dunkling 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 Dunkling 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 Dunkling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dunkling

The surname Dunkling is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English word "dun," which means a hill or a mound, and the suffix "-ling," which implies a small or diminutive form. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a small hill or a hillock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dunkling can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Dunlinc," which is likely an early variation of the surname.

During the 13th century, the Dunkling family was known to have resided in the village of Dunklington, located in the county of Berkshire. This place name, which shares a similar root with the surname, further reinforces the connection between the family and their association with a geographical feature such as a hill or a mound.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Dunkling include Sir Robert Dunkling, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. Records show that he was granted a coat of arms in 1357, indicating the family's status and influence during that time.

Another significant figure was John Dunkling, a scholar and theologian who lived in the late 16th century. He was known for his writings on religious matters and served as a rector in the parish of St. Mary's in Oxfordshire.

In the 17th century, the surname gained recognition through the work of William Dunkling, a renowned architect who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral.

The Dunkling family continued to leave their mark in various fields throughout the following centuries. For instance, Sarah Dunkling (1720-1795) was a notable artist and painter whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts.

It is worth noting that the surname Dunkling has undergone numerous variations in spelling over the centuries, including Dunklin, Dunckling, and Dunklyn, among others. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained largely unchanged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunkling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunkling 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 21 Dunklings recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.45x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 21 41.45x
Middlesex 19 2.38x
Lancashire 13 1.37x
Huntingdonshire 12 75.57x
Buckinghamshire 6 12.41x
Nottinghamshire 4 3.71x
Hertfordshire 2 3.63x
Gloucestershire 1 0.64x
Hampshire 1 0.61x
Northamptonshire 1 1.33x
Surrey 1 0.26x
Sussex 1 0.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton in Cambridgeshire leads with 16 Dunklings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3809.52x.

Place Total Index
Sutton 16 3809.52x
North Meols 13 139.94x
Ramsey 11 866.14x
Bethnal Green London 8 23.02x
Bromley London 7 39.77x
Dunton 5 25000.00x
Mansfield 4 107.24x
Enfield 3 57.14x
Mepal 3 3000.00x
Digswell 2 3333.33x
Aylesbury 1 46.73x
Brighton 1 3.68x
Chatteris 1 77.52x
Croydon 1 4.62x
Edmonton 1 15.53x
Northampton Priory St 1 22.17x
Portsmouth 1 26.53x
St Ives 1 121.95x
West Dean 1 39.22x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 56.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Hannah 3
Emma 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Sarah 2
Addadiza 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Jemima 1
Levinia 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Naomi 1
Nellie 1
Rachel 1
Sally 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
Thomas 4
William 4
Charles 3
James 3
Edward 2
Fred 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Simeon 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Ed. 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Melody 1
Reuben 1
Saml. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Dunkling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunkling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Dunkling surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunkling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Dunkling a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Dunkling surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for a small hill or dune.

What does the Dunkling map show?

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