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

Bunnell, 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 Bunnell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bunnell in America

Bunnell is the 5472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bunnell surname appeared 6,355 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bunnell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bunnell 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 Bunnell

The surname Bunnell is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bunan," which means "to prepare" or "to make ready." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a tradesperson or someone who prepared goods for sale or distribution.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Bunell" or "Bonell." It is thought to have originated in the counties of Essex and Suffolk in eastern England, where many early records of the name can be found. One of the earliest documented references to the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, dated 1273, where it is listed as "Bunell."

The Bunnell surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Bunnell's Farm in Brentwood, Essex, and Bunnell's Hill in Woodford, Essex. These place names likely originated from families bearing the Bunnell name who owned or resided in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Bunnell surname was John Bunnell, who was born in Essex around 1475. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Bunnell (c. 1530-1599), a member of the English gentry and a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, several members of the Bunnell family immigrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest was Benjamin Bunnell (c. 1620-1689), who settled in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1644. He became a prominent figure in the colony and served as a deputy to the General Court.

Another notable individual was Nathaniel Bunnell (1675-1753), a farmer and landowner in Stratford, Connecticut. He played a significant role in the development of the town and served as a selectman and a justice of the peace.

In the 18th century, Jonathan Bunnell (1745-1825) was a patriot during the American Revolutionary War. He served as a lieutenant in the Continental Army and participated in several crucial battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.

One of the most famous individuals with the Bunnell surname was Lafayette Bunnell (1824-1903), an American physician and inventor. He is credited with developing the first successful typewriter design, which he patented in 1868. His invention laid the foundation for the modern typewriter and played a crucial role in the advancement of office technology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bunnell

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

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 Bunnell 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 Bunnell 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 Bunnell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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