NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunstone

A surname derived from someone who lived near a grassy hill or mound.

In the 1881 census there were 362 people recorded with the Dunstone surname, ranking it #8,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 276, ranked #15,673, down from #8,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stithians, Illogan and Mabe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunstone is 600 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.8%.

1881 census count

362

Ranked #8,561

Modern count

276

2016, ranked #15,673

Peak year

1851

600 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunstone had 362 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016, ranked #15,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 600 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dunstone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunstone surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunstone 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 600 #4,273
1861 historical 505 #5,180
1881 historical 362 #8,561
1891 historical 345 #9,944
1901 historical 367 #10,076
1911 historical 393 #9,408
1997 modern 283 #14,037
1998 modern 296 #13,997
1999 modern 291 #14,234
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 286 #14,160
2002 modern 303 #13,909
2003 modern 287 #14,219
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 268 #15,172
2008 modern 272 #15,152
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 282 #15,410
2011 modern 283 #15,193
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 274 #15,764
2014 modern 274 #15,877
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 276 #15,673

Geography

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Where Dunstones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stithians, Illogan, 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 North Somerset, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Cornwall. 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 Illogan Cornwall
3 Mabe Cornwall
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wendron Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 017 North Somerset
2 North Somerset 021 North Somerset
3 North Somerset 016 North Somerset
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Cornwall 047 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunstone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunstone

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Dunstone surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dunstone household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dunstone is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Dunstone is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dunstone

The surname Dunstone has its roots in England, originating in the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down and "stan" meaning stone, suggesting that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a prominent rocky hill or outcrop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dunstone can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Dunstan in the county of Somerset, which may have been an early variant spelling of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Dunstone, Dunstan, and Dunstane in various historical records and manuscripts from the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Dorset, indicating that the name was prevalent in the southwestern regions of England.

Notable individuals bearing the Dunstone surname include Sir John Dunstone (1570-1643), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Robert Dunstone (1732-1812), a renowned botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the British Isles.

In the 18th century, the Dunstone family established themselves as influential landowners in the county of Gloucestershire. One member, William Dunstone (1764-1839), was a respected magistrate and served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1820.

Moving into the 19th century, the Reverend Edward Dunstone (1810-1888) was a prominent clergyman in the Church of England and served as the Vicar of Taunton St. Mary Magdalene in Somerset for over three decades.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir Walter Dunstone (1855-1931), a highly decorated British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Wight from 1920 to 1925.

While the Dunstone surname has its roots in England, over time it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with families bearing this name now found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunstone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunstone 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 169 Dunstones recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.39x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 169 42.39x
Middlesex 28 0.80x
Somerset 28 4.94x
Sussex 22 3.71x
Devon 20 2.73x
Surrey 14 0.82x
Kent 12 1.00x
Derbyshire 11 2.00x
Essex 11 1.58x
Yorkshire 10 0.29x
Glamorgan 8 1.30x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.47x
Hampshire 6 0.83x
Lanarkshire 6 0.53x
Cumberland 5 1.65x
Staffordshire 3 0.25x
Suffolk 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Veryan in Cornwall leads with 67 Dunstones recorded in 1881 and an index of 4350.65x.

Place Total Index
Veryan 67 4350.65x
Camborne 29 176.51x
Illogan 20 189.39x
Redruth 15 132.98x
Stoke Climsland 15 588.24x
West Ham 11 7.17x
Cossington 9 3333.33x
Kensington London 9 4.60x
Montacute 9 865.38x
Brighton 8 6.68x
Dronfield 8 113.31x
Gwennap 8 106.38x
Hastings St Mary In The 7 55.25x
Plumstead 7 17.48x
Acton 6 29.07x
Llantrisant 6 38.84x
Mitcham 6 55.35x
Ringwood 6 129.87x
Snenton 6 32.17x
St Gilesin Fields London 6 201.34x
Stoke Damerel 6 11.70x
Ashburton 5 142.86x
Ecclesfield 5 19.54x
Millom 5 53.82x
Minster In Sheppey 5 25.13x
Bere Ferrers 4 330.58x
Camberwell 4 1.78x
Govan 4 1.42x
Mark 4 303.03x
Plymouth Charles The 4 12.39x
Brimington 3 71.60x
Chelsea London 3 2.83x
Preston 3 28.93x
Rame 3 291.26x
South Petherton 3 102.39x
St Pancras London 3 1.06x
Streatham 3 11.48x
Falmouth 2 14.17x
Fazeley 2 92.59x
Hurstpierpoint 2 60.61x
St Austell 2 14.67x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 1 24.04x
Cantley 1 149.25x
Compton Bishop 1 151.52x
Crowan 1 31.65x
Drayton Bassett 1 185.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.41x
Finningley 1 222.22x
Glasgow 1 0.49x
Gunwalloe 1 454.55x
Ilfracombe 1 13.25x
Kea 1 33.67x
Llanwonno 1 4.54x
Lowestoft 1 4.94x
Maker 1 27.17x
Maryhill 1 4.49x
Mayfield 1 28.49x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 1.70x
Newington 1 0.77x
Perranarworthal 1 75.19x
Sheffield 1 0.90x
St Juliot 1 370.37x
St Stephen In Brannel 1 27.47x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 10.02x
Tregoney St James 1 135.14x
Upper Beeding 1 135.14x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 21.93x
Westminster St James 1 2.76x
Weston Super Mare 1 6.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 19
Jane 13
Annie 11
Eliza 9
Ann 6
Caroline 6
Ellen 6
Louisa 5
Grace 4
Hannah 4
Matilda 4
Susan 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Emily 3
Maria 3
Sarah 3
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Selina 2
Diana 1
Eleanor 1
Elfleda 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Fransis 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Louesa 1
Lousia 1
M.A. 1
Mabel 1
Margarate 1
Margaret 1
Melinda 1
Moriah 1
Nancy 1
Naomi 1
Phoeby 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 24
James 14
Thomas 12
Edward 7
Albert 6
Joseph 5
Benjamin 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
George 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Aubin 1
Bennett 1
Bovey 1
Colan 1
Edwin 1
Edwr. 1
Emanuel 1
Finnemore 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Chas. 1
Jno.Hy. 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Pentecost 1
Percy 1
Richd.Wm. 1
Saml.J. 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Tom 1
Wallace 1
Willm.Jas. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dunstone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunstone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 362 people were recorded with the Dunstone surname. That placed it at #8,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunstone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016. That gives Dunstone a modern rank of #15,673.

What does the Dunstone surname mean?

A surname derived from someone who lived near a grassy hill or mound.

What does the Dunstone map show?

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