NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunston

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Dunna's settlement" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 401 people recorded with the Dunston surname, ranking it #7,959 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #7,959 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stithians, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) and Mabe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Stockport and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunston is 818 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.1%.

1881 census count

401

Ranked #7,959

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

1861

818 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunston had 401 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,959 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 818 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Dunston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunston 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 370 #6,426
1861 historical 818 #3,366
1881 historical 401 #7,959
1891 historical 591 #6,465
1901 historical 403 #9,442
1911 historical 715 #5,975
1997 modern 174 #19,231
1998 modern 187 #18,857
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 179 #19,494
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 170 #20,243
2003 modern 173 #19,834
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 168 #20,227
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 183 #19,735
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 217 #18,493
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Dunstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stithians, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Mabe, London parishes and Wendron. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Stockport, Trafford, Bridgend and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Stithians Cornwall
2 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
3 Mabe Cornwall
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wendron Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 010 Burnley
2 Stockport 017 Stockport
3 Trafford 011 Trafford
4 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dunston, 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 Dunston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dunston 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Dunston is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dunston is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dunston

The surname Dunston is of English origin and derives from the place name Dunston, which can be found in various locations across England, including Durham, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. The name itself likely comes from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "tun" meaning farmstead or settlement, suggesting a settlement on a hill.

One of the earliest known references to the name Dunston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Dunestune" in Lincolnshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and use in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1256, where a certain Robert de Dunston is mentioned. This indicates that by this time, the name had become an established surname, likely adopted by families residing in or originating from the various places called Dunston.

One notable bearer of the surname Dunston was John Dunston (c. 1585-1624), an English explorer and trader who was among the first Englishmen to visit Russia during the reign of Tsar Michael I. His travels and exploits contributed to the establishment of trade relations between England and Russia in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure with the surname Dunston was Sir John Dunston (1659-1733), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1708-1709. He was also a Member of Parliament for the City of London from 1710 to 1713.

In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of the renowned English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy (1840-1928). In his novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles," one of the characters is named Richard Dunston, a prosperous dairyman.

Other notable individuals with the surname Dunston include Sir Humphrey Dunston (1605-1677), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1667 to 1677, and William Dunston (1677-1738), an English poet and satirist known for his works such as "The Paradoxical Discourses" (1719).

While the surname Dunston is not among the most common in England, its long history and association with various notable figures throughout the centuries highlight its enduring presence and significance in English culture and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunston 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. Cornwall leads with 53 Dunstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.85x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 53 11.85x
Middlesex 53 1.34x
Yorkshire 48 1.23x
Lancashire 40 0.85x
Surrey 37 1.92x
Nottinghamshire 23 4.32x
Staffordshire 15 1.12x
Sussex 15 2.25x
Somerset 11 1.73x
Devon 10 1.22x
Isle of Man 10 13.63x
Essex 9 1.15x
Kent 9 0.67x
Lincolnshire 9 1.42x
Glamorgan 8 1.16x
Cumberland 6 1.76x
Denbighshire 5 3.35x
Hampshire 5 0.62x
Northumberland 5 0.85x
Cardiganshire 4 4.15x
Derbyshire 4 0.65x
Lanarkshire 4 0.31x
Leicestershire 4 0.91x
Pembrokeshire 3 2.39x
Suffolk 3 0.62x
Warwickshire 3 0.30x
Gloucestershire 2 0.26x
Monmouthshire 2 0.70x
Dorset 1 0.39x
Durham 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.43x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wendron in Cornwall leads with 26 Dunstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 418.68x.

Place Total Index
Wendron 26 418.68x
Lambeth 15 4.35x
St Marylebone London 12 5.69x
Swinton In Rotherham 11 106.28x
Illogan 10 84.46x
Maughold 10 176.68x
Thorne 9 185.19x
Walsall Foreign 9 13.07x
Brighton 8 5.95x
Finchley 8 52.81x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 6.83x
Hackney London 7 3.16x
Hurstpierpoint 7 188.68x
Richmond 7 25.95x
St Pancras London 7 2.20x
Torksey 7 3181.82x
Cardiff St John 6 26.70x
Epping 6 189.27x
Everton 6 4.02x
Headon Cum Upton 6 2000.00x
Radford 6 22.18x
Brotton 5 97.85x
Farnham 5 33.40x
Holy Trinity 5 5.31x
Layton With Warbreck 5 29.07x
Limehouse London 5 11.53x
Pendleton In Salford 5 8.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 7.89x
Ruabon 5 24.37x
Salford 5 3.63x
St Austell 5 32.70x
St Germans 5 160.26x
Weare 5 568.18x
Barony 4 1.24x
Caterham 4 47.00x
Doncaster 4 13.99x
East Brent 4 416.67x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 4 169.49x
Llanfair Clydogaw 4 555.56x
Longbenton 4 16.06x
Manchester 4 1.90x
Mansfield 4 21.70x
Acton 3 12.95x
Ardwick 3 7.10x
Aston 3 1.09x
Brightside Bierlow 3 3.91x
Burton Upon Trent 3 9.62x
Cuckney 3 394.74x
Cuddington 3 405.41x
East Ham 3 20.73x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 18.37x
Sheffield 3 2.41x
St Dogmells 3 89.82x
Stonehouse East 3 71.94x
Wortley In Bramley 3 9.67x
Bedwellty 2 3.97x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.17x
Brimington 2 42.55x
Dalton In Furness 2 11.05x
Fulham London 2 3.49x
Holdenhurst 2 9.42x
Hulme 2 2.04x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.87x
Marske In Guisbrough 2 28.78x
Portsea 2 1.26x
St Agnes 2 31.95x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.41x
Whitwick 2 35.91x
Woolwich 2 4.02x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.99x
Bodmin 1 13.51x
Deptford St Paul 1 0.96x
Great Grimsby 1 2.49x
Hornsey 1 2.00x
Lamplugh 1 58.48x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.73x
Orpington 1 24.21x
South Leverton 1 185.19x
South Mimms 1 18.45x
Wimbledon 1 4.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 13
Eliza 10
Annie 9
Ellen 7
Emma 6
Ann 5
Jane 5
Emily 4
Gertrude 4
Hannah 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Grace 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
H. 2
Kate 2
Lillian 2
Lydia 2
Mable 2
Susanna 2
Beatrice 1
Cathrine 1
Celia 1
Charlote 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elizth.J. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Infant 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Lena 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 26
George 17
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Albert 7
James 7
Alfred 6
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Samuel 3
Ernest 2
Robert 2
Willm. 2
David 1
Fred 1
Frederck 1
Frederich 1
Infant 1
J. 1
J.H. 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Mahola 1
Mathias 1
Maurice 1
Morgan 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Rowland 1
Rt. 1
S.L. 1
Simeon 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Unregistered 1
W.R.G. 1
Walker 1
Walter 1
Weorne 1
Wille 1
Wm.Rd. 1

FAQ

Dunston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 401 people were recorded with the Dunston surname. That placed it at #7,959 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Dunston a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Dunston surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Dunna's settlement" in Old English.

What does the Dunston map show?

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