NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunseath

A surname derived from a place name referring to a location near a sandy hill or dune.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Dunseath surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 161, ranked #22,606, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Cherwell and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunseath is 161 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 519.2%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

2016

161 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunseath had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunseath surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunseath surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunseath 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 16 #32,260
1911 historical 19 #31,416
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Dunseaths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Cherwell, South Somerset, Harrogate and Cardonald West and Central. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 036 Sheffield
2 Cherwell 016 Cherwell
3 South Somerset 017 South Somerset
4 Harrogate 020 Harrogate
5 Cardonald West and Central Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunseath

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunseath

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

Dunseath 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

Dunseath 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 Dunseath 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dunseath

The surname DUNSEATH originated in Scotland and England during the medieval period, with its earliest recorded forms dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning "hill" and "sætan" meaning "to sit or dwell", suggesting it was originally a locational name given to someone who lived near a prominent hill or elevated area.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dunsate" in the county of Dorset, England. This record suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In Scotland, the name is thought to have originated in the Borders region, particularly in the area around Dunse, a town in Berwickshire. Historical records from the 13th century mention individuals with the surname DUNSEATH living in this area, with variations in spelling such as "Dunsath" and "Dunseth".

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Dunseath, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was believed to have been born around 1280 in Dunse and played a significant role in several battles against the English forces.

Another prominent figure with this surname was William Dunseath, an English scholar and theologian who lived in the late 16th century. He was born in 1547 in Oxfordshire and became a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, where he contributed to the study of divinity and religious texts.

In the 17th century, the name DUNSEATH appeared in various parish records across England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. One example is John Dunseath, a landowner born in 1625 in the village of Dunster, Somerset, whose family had held property in the area for several generations.

Throughout history, the surname DUNSEATH has also been associated with several place names, such as Dunseath Hill in Cumbria, England, and Dunseath Farm in Berwickshire, Scotland, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunseath families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunseath 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. Lanarkshire leads with 13 Dunseaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.85x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 13 15.85x
Middlesex 8 3.15x
Lancashire 5 1.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Anne Soho London in Middlesex leads with 8 Dunseaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 551.72x.

Place Total Index
St Anne Soho London 8 551.72x
Barony 5 24.10x
Hamilton 5 218.34x
Barrow In Furness 3 73.35x
Govan 3 14.79x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 41.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Grace 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Crawford 1
Edith 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
J. 1
James 1
Robert 1
William 1
Winifred 1

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 Dunseath households.

FAQ

Dunseath surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunseath surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Dunseath surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunseath surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Dunseath a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Dunseath surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to a location near a sandy hill or dune.

What does the Dunseath map show?

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