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

Dull, 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 Dull surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dull in America

Dull is the 6961st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dull surname appeared 4,818 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 Dull.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dull 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 Dull

The surname DULL originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dol" meaning "foolish" or "dull-witted." The name was likely used as a nickname for someone perceived as slow or unintelligent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195, where a William Dull is mentioned. The name also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1221, with a reference to a Roger Dull.

In the 13th century, the surname was often spelled as "Dolle" or "Dolle." This variation can be seen in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a John Dolle. The name may also have been derived from the Old English place name "Dol" or "Dole," which referred to a valley or hollow.

Some notable individuals with the surname DULL throughout history include:

1. John Dull (c. 1400-1470), an English landowner and member of Parliament from Buckinghamshire.
2. William Dull (c. 1520-1590), a prominent merchant and shipowner from Bristol, England.
3. Elizabeth Dull (1635-1702), one of the first English settlers in Pennsylvania, who arrived in 1682 with her husband.
4. Johann Christian Dull (1769-1846), a German composer and organist known for his sacred choral works.
5. Robert Dull (1829-1905), an American Civil War veteran and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.

The surname DULL has also been associated with various place names, such as Dull in Perthshire, Scotland, and Dull Water, a tributary of the River Annan in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dull

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

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

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

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