NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunn

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "donn," meaning "brown-haired" or "chieftain."

In the 1881 census there were 24,868 people recorded with the Dunn surname, ranking it #135 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 33,999, ranked #153, down from #135 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Northumberland and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunn is 34,779 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.7%.

1881 census count

24,868

Ranked #135

Modern count

33,999

2016, ranked #153

Peak year

2010

34,779 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunn had 24,868 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #135 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 33,999 in 2016, ranked #153.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 30,294 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dunn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunn 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 15,792 #138
1861 historical 16,300 #131
1881 historical 24,868 #135
1891 historical 25,858 #131
1901 historical 30,294 #135
1911 historical 27,729 #144
1997 modern 33,087 #149
1998 modern 34,312 #148
1999 modern 34,428 #151
2000 modern 34,219 #153
2001 modern 33,431 #151
2002 modern 34,224 #152
2003 modern 33,282 #152
2004 modern 33,158 #153
2005 modern 32,733 #154
2006 modern 32,898 #153
2007 modern 33,066 #152
2008 modern 33,293 #152
2009 modern 34,017 #154
2010 modern 34,779 #152
2011 modern 34,319 #152
2012 modern 33,711 #152
2013 modern 34,317 #153
2014 modern 34,538 #153
2015 modern 34,144 #153
2016 modern 33,999 #153

Geography

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Where Dunns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Northumberland and Copeland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 059 County Durham
2 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 006 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunn

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Dunn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Dunn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dunn 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

Dunn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dunn

The surname Dunn has its origins in England and Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "dun," meaning a fortified hill or a fort. The name was likely first adopted by someone who lived near or worked at a hill fort or fortified settlement.

In England, the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of the 13th century, where people with the surname Dunn are mentioned as residing in various counties, including Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. Some of the earliest spellings of the name included Dun, Dune, and Dunne.

The Dunn surname also has a strong presence in Scottish history. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Walter Dun, a Scottish clergyman who lived in the late 12th century. He served as the Archdeacon of St. Andrews and played a significant role in the religious affairs of Scotland during that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records maintained by the Scottish government. This suggests that individuals with the Dunn surname held positions of importance and were involved in administrative or financial matters.

One notable figure with the Dunn surname was John Dunn, a Scottish explorer and trader who lived from 1834 to 1895. He was known for his adventures in South Africa and his interactions with the Zulu people. Another individual of note was Samuel Dunn, an English mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1723 to 1794 and made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

The Dunn surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Duns in Berwickshire, Scotland, and Dunsby in Lincolnshire, England. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Other notable individuals with the Dunn surname include:

1. William Dunn (1770-1849), a Scottish horticulturist and botanist. 2. Robert Dunn (1799-1880), an English-born Australian explorer and settler. 3. Margery Dunn (1888-1936), an American social worker and advocate for child welfare. 4. James Dunn (1701-1775), a Scottish-born American writer and educator. 5. Marcus Dunn (1624-1689), an English clergyman and author.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunn 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. Lancashire leads with 2,838 Dunns recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.98x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,838 0.98x
Yorkshire 2,253 0.94x
Durham 2,063 2.85x
Middlesex 1,996 0.82x
Lanarkshire 1,539 1.96x
Staffordshire 1,469 1.79x
Northumberland 1,418 3.92x
Surrey 903 0.76x
Devon 862 1.70x
Kent 661 0.80x
Warwickshire 638 1.04x
Gloucestershire 494 1.04x
Worcestershire 450 1.42x
Cheshire 420 0.78x
Cornwall 400 1.45x
Midlothian 379 1.16x
Aberdeenshire 364 1.62x
Somerset 318 0.81x
Angus 290 1.29x
Ayrshire 281 1.55x
Hampshire 269 0.54x
Glamorgan 240 0.57x
Norfolk 235 0.63x
Dorset 233 1.46x
Derbyshire 215 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 206 0.63x
Shropshire 198 0.94x
Stirlingshire 191 2.13x
Renfrewshire 177 0.94x
Fife 174 1.21x
Lincolnshire 172 0.44x
Essex 171 0.36x
Sussex 166 0.41x
Perthshire 161 1.48x
Suffolk 143 0.48x
Monmouthshire 136 0.77x
Wiltshire 135 0.63x
Northamptonshire 121 0.53x
Dunbartonshire 103 1.58x
Cumberland 101 0.48x
Oxfordshire 97 0.65x
Berkshire 82 0.45x
Leicestershire 76 0.28x
Hertfordshire 68 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 67 0.44x
Roxburghshire 66 1.50x
Carmarthenshire 58 0.57x
Clackmannanshire 57 2.84x
Flintshire 54 0.83x
Kincardineshire 44 1.49x
Channel Islands 42 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 39 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 39 0.51x
Royal Navy 39 1.35x
Dumfriesshire 38 0.71x
West Lothian 38 1.04x
Berwickshire 37 1.26x
East Lothian 37 1.15x
Argyllshire 34 0.50x
Kirkcudbrightshire 33 0.94x
Herefordshire 31 0.31x
Bedfordshire 26 0.21x
Banffshire 25 0.50x
Westmorland 19 0.36x
Brecknockshire 18 0.37x
Peeblesshire 18 1.58x
Isle of Man 17 0.38x
Cardiganshire 16 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 14 0.14x
Kinross-shire 14 2.28x
Denbighshire 13 0.14x
Wigtownshire 12 0.37x
Ross-shire 11 0.16x
Selkirkshire 11 0.50x
Buteshire 7 0.48x
Rutland 7 0.39x
Inverness-shire 3 0.04x
Merionethshire 3 0.07x
Morayshire 3 0.08x
Anglesey 2 0.05x
Caithness 2 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.02x
Orkney 1 0.04x
Radnorshire 1 0.05x
Shetland 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 516 Dunns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.95x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 516 2.95x
Barony 460 2.31x
Glasgow 372 2.67x
Kingswinford 327 10.98x
Govan 276 1.42x
Birmingham 249 1.22x
Aston 216 1.28x
Bishopwearmouth 199 3.21x
Manchester 193 1.49x
Lambeth 185 0.87x
Gateshead 184 3.40x
St Pancras London 169 0.86x
Islington London 165 0.70x
Dudley 160 4.15x
Toxteth Park 156 1.60x
Dundee 151 1.80x
St Marylebone London 150 1.16x
Salford 146 1.72x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 142 1.08x
Hackney London 142 1.04x
Kensington London 134 0.99x
Westoe 134 3.27x
Tynemouth 131 6.77x
Bradford 119 2.04x
Camberwell 117 0.75x
Hamilton 117 5.34x
Rowley Regis 113 4.94x
Leeds 108 0.79x
Stockton On Tees 105 3.01x
Wolverhampton 101 1.60x
West Derby 96 1.14x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 93 2.07x
Horton In Bradford 92 2.45x
Newington 92 1.03x
Battersea 91 1.02x
Aberdeen Old Machar 90 1.92x
Preston 89 1.15x
Shoreditch London 89 0.85x
Hulme 86 1.43x
Wigan 84 2.09x
St Luke London 83 2.13x
Bethnal Green London 82 0.78x
Everton 82 0.89x
West Bromwich 81 1.73x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 79 1.88x
Bedlington 79 6.54x
Holy Trinity 79 1.36x
Darlington 76 2.72x
Elswick 75 2.60x
Southwark St George Martyr 75 1.53x
Paddington London 72 0.81x
Sheffield 69 0.90x
Newcastle On Tyne St 68 3.63x
Oldham 67 0.72x
Shildon 67 11.54x
Birkenhead 64 1.50x
Longbenton 62 4.05x
Cambuslang 61 7.70x
Monkwearmouth 61 8.82x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 60 2.78x
Falkirk 58 2.77x
Nottingham St Mary 58 0.68x
Portsea 58 0.59x
St Woollos 56 2.86x
Stoke Upon Trent 56 0.64x
Walsall Foreign 56 1.32x
Blackburn 55 0.72x
Crook Billy Row 55 5.94x
Mevagissey 55 30.09x
Plymouth St Andrew 55 1.41x
Hammersmith London 54 0.90x
Sculcoates 54 1.41x
St George Hanover Square 54 1.26x
Wallsend 54 4.71x
Barrow In Furness 53 1.35x
Chorlton On Medlock 53 1.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 53 1.69x
Manningham 53 1.79x
Tipton 53 2.11x
West Ham 53 0.50x
Bermondsey 52 0.72x
Westgate 52 2.32x
Stoke Damerel 51 1.44x
Deal 50 7.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 49 0.78x
Bow London 49 1.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,670
Elizabeth 881
Sarah 621
Jane 484
Ann 475
Margaret 420
Ellen 343
Eliza 306
Alice 270
Annie 243
Hannah 241
Emma 220
Catherine 212
Emily 167
Isabella 134
Martha 130
Maria 116
Harriet 111
Louisa 111
Anne 98
Kate 98
Caroline 97
Charlotte 81
Edith 81
Agnes 79
Frances 76
Fanny 75
Florence 74
Ada 71
Bridget 70
Clara 61
Susan 59
Julia 54
Amelia 53
Eleanor 53
Esther 51
Lucy 46
Matilda 44
Rose 43
Harriett 42
Margt. 36
Grace 35
Elizth. 34
Jessie 34
Amy 33
Rebecca 33
Lizzie 31
Minnie 31
Sophia 31
Ethel 30

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,405
William 1,246
Thomas 791
James 729
George 636
Joseph 350
Henry 338
Charles 318
Robert 317
Edward 241
Richard 214
Alfred 177
Samuel 150
Frederick 143
Arthur 142
Patrick 118
Michael 112
Walter 106
David 84
Harry 84
Albert 78
Francis 75
Peter 71
Frank 67
Edwin 65
Herbert 64
Wm. 63
Daniel 62
Benjamin 56
Ernest 47
Thos. 45
Andrew 44
Matthew 42
Martin 38
Ralph 35
Alexander 34
Stephen 30
Dennis 26
Fred 24
Christopher 23
Jas. 21
Fredrick 20
Philip 20
Isaac 19
Hugh 18
Robt. 17
Timothy 17
Abraham 16
Adam 16
Edmund 16

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 Dunn households.

FAQ

Dunn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24,868 people were recorded with the Dunn surname. That placed it at #135 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 33,999 in 2016. That gives Dunn a modern rank of #153.

What does the Dunn surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "donn," meaning "brown-haired" or "chieftain."

What does the Dunn map show?

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