NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunster

A surname derived from a place name, referring to someone from Dunster in Somerset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 801 people recorded with the Dunster surname, ranking it #4,649 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 925, ranked #6,172, down from #4,649 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Chard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, South Somerset and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunster is 1,233 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

801

Ranked #4,649

Modern count

925

2016, ranked #6,172

Peak year

1911

1,233 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunster had 801 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,649 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 925 in 2016, ranked #6,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,233 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dunster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunster 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 518 #4,834
1861 historical 505 #5,180
1881 historical 801 #4,649
1891 historical 965 #4,284
1901 historical 1,046 #4,578
1911 historical 1,233 #3,829
1997 modern 1,006 #5,474
1998 modern 1,058 #5,411
1999 modern 1,059 #5,445
2000 modern 1,034 #5,532
2001 modern 1,013 #5,526
2002 modern 1,026 #5,585
2003 modern 968 #5,747
2004 modern 945 #5,863
2005 modern 918 #5,933
2006 modern 927 #5,900
2007 modern 907 #6,051
2008 modern 899 #6,132
2009 modern 948 #6,009
2010 modern 952 #6,114
2011 modern 946 #6,087
2012 modern 936 #6,055
2013 modern 941 #6,136
2014 modern 941 #6,171
2015 modern 922 #6,215
2016 modern 925 #6,172

Geography

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Where Dunsters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Chard and Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, South Somerset, Bridgend and Inverkeithing East. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Chard Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 South Somerset 003 South Somerset
3 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
4 South Somerset 007 South Somerset
5 Inverkeithing East Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunster

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dunster 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

Dunster 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

Dunster falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dunster 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 Dunster, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dunster

The surname Dunster originated in England and dates back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Dunster in Somerset, which is believed to have taken its name from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill and "tor" meaning rock or tower, referring to the prominent rocky hill on which the town was built.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Donestre." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, the Dunster family played a significant role in the history of Somerset. In 1235, Sir Walter de Dunster was appointed as the first Constable of Dunster Castle, a position held by his descendants for several generations.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname was John Dunster (c. 1320-1390), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Dunster who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1362 and 1365.

Another prominent individual bearing the name was Henry Dunster (1609-1659), an English minister and scholar who served as the first president of Harvard College in Massachusetts from 1640 to 1654.

The surname also has connections to the American colonies. In the 17th century, Robert Dunster (c. 1620-1685) emigrated from England to Massachusetts, where he became a prominent citizen and landowner in the town of Charlestown.

Other notable individuals with the surname Dunster include William Dunster (1636-1711), an English Quaker minister and writer, and Charles Dunster (1750-1816), an English painter and engraver known for his portraits and landscapes.

As the name spread throughout England and beyond, various spelling variations emerged, such as Dunstar, Dunstare, and Dunstarr. Additionally, the surname was sometimes combined with other locational names, resulting in variants like Dunsterville and Dunster-Ville.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunster 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. Kent leads with 237 Dunsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.83x.

County Total Index
Kent 237 8.83x
Somerset 92 7.27x
Middlesex 83 1.06x
Lancashire 65 0.70x
Dorset 62 12.02x
Sussex 61 4.60x
Devon 54 3.30x
Surrey 51 1.33x
Berkshire 12 2.03x
Gloucestershire 12 0.78x
Hampshire 11 0.68x
Glamorgan 10 0.73x
Lanarkshire 9 0.35x
Northumberland 9 0.77x
Warwickshire 5 0.25x
Yorkshire 5 0.06x
Channel Islands 4 1.72x
Essex 4 0.26x
Hertfordshire 4 0.74x
Norfolk 4 0.33x
Cheshire 3 0.17x
Midlothian 3 0.28x
Northamptonshire 2 0.27x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Denbighshire 1 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tenterden in Kent leads with 32 Dunsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 338.27x.

Place Total Index
Tenterden 32 338.27x
Chardstock 28 784.31x
Chard 24 156.56x
Woodchurch 24 718.56x
Bermondsey 16 6.84x
Broadwinsor 16 473.37x
Deptford St Paul 16 7.73x
Mile End Old Town London 16 9.56x
Iden 15 1000.00x
Playden 15 1898.73x
Broadhembury 14 769.23x
Little Hulton 14 90.61x
Stone In Tenterden 14 1346.15x
Compton Dundon 12 779.22x
Maidstone 12 15.02x
Wellington 12 69.93x
Lyme Regis 11 177.99x
Crewkerne 10 74.40x
Lambeth 10 1.46x
Reading St Mary 10 21.16x
Taunton St James 10 54.17x
Barony 9 1.40x
Hackney London 9 2.04x
Kennington 9 452.26x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 14.84x
Ashford 8 30.63x
Hartlip 8 769.23x
Lewisham 8 5.59x
Rye 8 63.49x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 8 71.88x
Astley 7 97.22x
Bethersden 7 256.41x
Hemyock 7 286.89x
Honiton 7 77.26x
St Marylebone London 7 1.67x
Atherton 6 17.67x
Bedminster 6 5.05x
Broughton In Salford 6 7.03x
Crayford 6 51.19x
Croydon 6 2.82x
Hammersmith London 6 3.10x
Heap 6 12.13x
Hythe St Leonard 6 63.29x
Kensington London 6 1.37x
Milton 6 149.63x
Newland 6 46.30x
Ashcott 5 259.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 3.44x
Camberwell 5 1.00x
Clapham 5 5.09x
East Guildford 5 1020.41x
Gillingham 5 9.04x
Greenwich 5 3.99x
Hastings St Andrew 5 105.26x
Hornsey 5 5.03x
Hougham 5 31.35x
Roath 5 8.04x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 14.69x
Axminster 4 52.15x
Birmingham 4 0.61x
Chatham 4 5.42x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.16x
Cranbrook 4 35.21x
Hastings St Leonards 4 20.52x
Little Berkhampstead 4 350.88x
Liverpool 4 0.71x
Oldham 4 1.33x
Ottery St Mary 4 37.24x
Penarth 4 29.90x
Ruckinge 4 373.83x
Sheffield 4 1.61x
Shoreditch London 4 1.17x
Sittingbourne 4 18.89x
St Peter Port 4 9.28x
Stanford 4 506.33x
Streatham 4 6.86x
Uffculme 4 81.97x
Ulcombe 4 225.99x
Wilmington 4 106.95x
Woodbastwick 4 701.75x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 41
George 37
James 23
Charles 18
Henry 13
Arthur 12
Albert 11
Frederick 10
Thomas 10
Frank 9
Robert 9
Samuel 9
Richard 8
Edward 7
Alfred 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Alexander 4
Edmund 4
Jesse 4
Abraham 3
Daniel 3
Edgar 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Peter 2
R. 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Victor 2
Willie 2
David 1
Earnest 1
Frances 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dunster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 801 people were recorded with the Dunster surname. That placed it at #4,649 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 925 in 2016. That gives Dunster a modern rank of #6,172.

What does the Dunster surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, referring to someone from Dunster in Somerset, England.

What does the Dunster map show?

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