Find out how popular the last name Bunn is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bunn.

Bunn, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bunn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bunn in America

Bunn is the 3230th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bunn surname appeared 11,180 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Bunn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bunn to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bunn

The surname BUNN is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "bun" which means "to prepare" or "to make ready". This name is believed to have originated as an occupational surname given to bakers or those involved in the preparation of bread and other baked goods.

The earliest recorded examples of the BUNN surname date back to the late 13th century, with records showing William le Bunne and Reginald le Bunne living in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, respectively, in the years 1273 and 1279. The use of the prefix "le" was a common practice at the time, indicating the surname's occupational origin.

In the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to several places with names derived from the Old English word "bun", such as Bunwell in Norfolk and Bunbury in Cheshire. These place names may have influenced the development of the BUNN surname in those regions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the BUNN surname was Sir William Bunn, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London, who lived from 1349 to 1412. He served as the Mayor of London in 1391 and was knighted by King Richard II for his service to the city.

Another notable figure was Robert Bunn, a English playwright and novelist who lived from 1786 to 1853. He is best known for his work "The Maid of Dishonour" and his contributions to the literary periodicals of his time.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the BUNN surname is that of John Bunn, who was born in England in 1632 and later immigrated to Virginia in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to settle in various parts of the country, including North Carolina and Tennessee.

The BUNN surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the field of science and technology. One example is Alfred Bunn, an English engineer and inventor who lived from 1799 to 1860. He is credited with developing the first successful commercial ice-making machine, which revolutionized the preservation of food and transportation of perishable goods.

Another notable bearer of the BUNN surname was Sir Benjamin Bunn, a British chemist and industrialist who lived from 1850 to 1933. He made significant contributions to the development of the chemical industry and was knighted for his services in 1920.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bunn

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bunn.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bunn was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bunn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bunn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bunn, please contact us.

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