UK surname
An English occupational surname for someone who made a coarse, linen cloth called fustian.
In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Dustin surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #28,137 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Workington (Workington), Clossocks and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dustin is 115 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.2%.
1881 census count
39
Ranked #28,137
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1891
115 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dustin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dustin surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 49 | #24,448 |
| 1861 | historical | 48 | #27,896 |
| 1881 | historical | 39 | #28,137 |
| 1891 | historical | 115 | #21,878 |
| 1901 | historical | 11 | #32,907 |
| 1911 | historical | 61 | #26,724 |
| 1997 | modern | 52 | #32,444 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 52 | #32,848 |
| 2000 | modern | 52 | #32,916 |
| 2001 | modern | 47 | #33,219 |
| 2002 | modern | 48 | #33,459 |
| 2003 | modern | 44 | #33,875 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 46 | #34,081 |
| 2006 | modern | 46 | #34,415 |
| 2007 | modern | 48 | #34,488 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 52 | #34,544 |
| 2010 | modern | 53 | #34,654 |
| 2011 | modern | 51 | #34,751 |
| 2012 | modern | 61 | #34,228 |
| 2013 | modern | 66 | #34,003 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 68 | #33,854 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Liverpool, Veryan and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Workington (Workington), Clossocks | Cumberland |
| 3 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 4 | Veryan | Cornwall |
| 5 | Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dustin surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dustin, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Dustin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dustin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Dustin is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dustin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dustin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Dustin has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "dusting," which referred to a person who worked as a duster or cleaner of homes and buildings. The name may also have been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a dusty or chalky area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dustin can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a Robert Dustin in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mention a John Dustyn in Somerset. These early references suggest that the name was well-established in various parts of England by the late medieval period.
In the 16th century, the name Dustin appeared in various forms, such as Dustyn,Dustyne, and Duston. Some historians believe that the latter spelling may have been influenced by the village of Duston near Northampton, which could have been the original place of origin for some Dustin families.
Notable historical figures with the surname Dustin include William Dustin (c. 1619-1694), an English colonist who settled in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and whose family was famously taken captive by Native Americans during King William's War in 1697. Another early American bearer of the name was Thomas Dustin (c. 1654-1694), who fought in King Philip's War and later became a prominent landowner in Haverhill.
In later centuries, several Dustins made their mark in various fields. John Dustin (1738-1820) was a prominent American Revolutionary War soldier from New Hampshire. William Creswell Dustin (1832-1895) was a successful lawyer and politician in Ohio, serving as the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. Arthur Dustin (1876-1941) was a British actor and playwright known for his work on the London stage in the early 20th century.
Other notable individuals with the surname Dustin include Sir Alfred Dustin (1892-1970), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of British Guiana (now Guyana) from 1954 to 1959, and Michael Dustin (born 1959), an American immunologist and professor at Harvard University.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dustin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 13 Dustins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.92x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 13 | 13.92x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 1.50x |
| Channel Islands | 7 | 52.63x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 1.34x |
| Cumberland | 5 | 12.94x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 3.41x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 5.16x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 1.42x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.13x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 8 Dustins recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.74x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 8 | 24.74x |
| St Helier | 7 | 161.66x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 6 | 83.33x |
| Stoke Damerel | 6 | 91.74x |
| Norwood | 5 | 485.44x |
| Seaton | 5 | 1111.11x |
| Bridgnorth St Leonard | 2 | 454.55x |
| Bristol St Paul In | 2 | 85.47x |
| Aston Somerville | 1 | 5000.00x |
| Barnstaple | 1 | 68.03x |
| Codnor Loscoe | 1 | 178.57x |
| Corringham | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Islington London | 1 | 2.30x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dustin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dustin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Dustin households.
FAQ
In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Dustin surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Dustin a modern rank of #33,948.
An English occupational surname for someone who made a coarse, linen cloth called fustian.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dustin bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.