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

Bunting, 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 Bunting surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bunting in America

Bunting is the 4072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bunting surname appeared 8,725 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Bunting.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bunting 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 Bunting

The surname Bunting has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an occupational name, derived from the Old English word "bunt," which referred to a thin cloth or material used for sifting grain or meal. Individuals who worked as sifters or engaged in activities related to the production or handling of grain may have acquired this surname.

The earliest known record of the name Bunting dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it is listed as "Buntinge." This early spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time, with various forms such as Buntyng and Buntynge appearing in subsequent records.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Bunting. However, the book does mention place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as Buntingford in Hertfordshire, which could be derived from "Bunta's ford" or "the ford of the bunting bird."

One notable figure bearing the surname Bunting was Edward Bunting, an Irish musician and collector of traditional Irish music, born in 1773 and died in 1843. His work in preserving and documenting Irish melodies and tunes has left a significant impact on the cultural heritage of Ireland.

Another historical figure was Thomas Bunting, an English mathematician and minister, born in 1642 and died in 1743. He was known for his contributions to the field of mathematics and authored several works on the subject, including "The Doctrine of Compound Interest" and "The Whole Art of Mensuration."

In the literary world, Basil Bunting, an English poet born in 1900 and died in 1985, is recognized for his influential modernist poetry. His most famous work, "Briggflatts," published in 1966, is considered a masterpiece of 20th-century poetry.

Sir Maurice Bunting, a British colonial administrator born in 1869 and died in 1947, served as the Governor of British Honduras (now Belize) from 1923 to 1932. He played a significant role in the administration of the British colonies during the early 20th century.

In the field of sports, Wilfred Bunting, a British Olympic athlete born in 1887 and died in 1957, won a gold medal in the men's high jump at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. His athletic achievements have contributed to the legacy of the Bunting surname in sporting history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bunting

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

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

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

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