NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunnings

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "people of the down" or "hill dwellers."

In the 1881 census there were 122 people recorded with the Dunnings surname, ranking it #17,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #17,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, Eling and South Stoneham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven, New Forest and Poole.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunnings is 175 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.2%.

1881 census count

122

Ranked #17,602

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1901

175 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunnings had 122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 175 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Dunnings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunnings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunnings 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 122 #17,602
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 96 #31,381
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Dunnings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, Eling, South Stoneham, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven, New Forest and Poole. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 Eling Hampshire
3 South Stoneham Hampshire
4 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
2 New Forest 005 New Forest
3 Poole 007 Poole
4 New Forest 001 New Forest
5 Poole 012 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunnings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunnings

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Dunnings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dunnings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dunnings 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

Dunnings 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

Dunnings falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dunnings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dunnings

The surname Dunnings has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dun," which means a hill or a mountain, and was likely a topographic surname given to someone who lived near a prominent hill or mountain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dunnings can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, a county in the east of England, from the year 1198. These rolls were administrative records of the English Exchequer and often contained listings of landowners and taxpayers.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "de Dunninges" and "Dunnynges," which reflect the local dialects and spellings of the time. Some of these early spellings may have been associated with specific places, such as the village of Dunnings in Somerset, or with individuals who were known by their association with a particular hill or mountain.

The Dunnings surname also appears in the famous Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This record provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the surname in different parts of England during the medieval period.

One notable individual with the surname Dunnings was Sir John Dunnings (1586-1654), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel. He was a prominent figure during the English Civil War and supported the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I.

Another historical figure was Richard Dunnings (1711-1783), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century. He played a significant role in several naval battles, including the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, William Dunnings (1821-1892) was a notable English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the former Royal Opera House in London and the Royal Albert Hall.

The Dunnings surname also has a connection to the literary world, with the writer and poet Thomas Dunnings (1820-1887), who was known for his romantic poetry and writings on nature.

Finally, Elizabeth Dunnings (1880-1960) was a British artist and sculptor who gained recognition for her intricate wood carvings and sculptures, many of which depicted scenes from rural life and nature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunnings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunnings 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. Hampshire leads with 84 Dunnings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.44x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 84 34.44x
Cheshire 10 3.81x
Dorset 6 7.68x
Middlesex 4 0.34x
Surrey 4 0.69x
Essex 3 1.28x
Lancashire 3 0.21x
Worcestershire 3 1.93x
Kent 2 0.49x
Devon 1 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.62x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eling in Hampshire leads with 33 Dunnings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1336.03x.

Place Total Index
Eling 33 1336.03x
South Stoneham 16 302.46x
Southampton St Mary 11 71.71x
Lyme Handley 10 8333.33x
Nursling 9 2307.69x
Kinson 6 392.16x
Minstead 5 1428.57x
Acton 4 57.31x
Alverstoke 3 33.98x
Liverpool 3 3.50x
Romsey Extra 3 206.90x
Brightlingsea 2 149.25x
Clapham 2 13.44x
East Wellow 2 1538.46x
Halesowen 2 147.06x
Hawkhurst 2 158.73x
Ainderby Steeple 1 1111.11x
Blockley 1 113.64x
Lambeth 1 0.96x
Millbrook 1 16.29x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.41x
Portsea 1 2.09x
Tiverton 1 23.42x
Wanstead 1 24.33x
Woking 1 28.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Ann 4
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Annie 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Ethel 2
Francis 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Rhoda 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Dunnings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunnings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 122 people were recorded with the Dunnings surname. That placed it at #17,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunnings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Dunnings a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Dunnings surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "people of the down" or "hill dwellers."

What does the Dunnings map show?

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