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

Dunayer, 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 Dunayer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunayer in America

Dunayer is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunayer surname appeared 103 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dunayer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunayer 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 Dunayer

The surname Dunayer is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning "hill" and "aer" meaning "dweller," thus translating to "one who lives on a hill." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have resided in hilly or elevated areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dunayer surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and population compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Dunayer in the county of Berkshire.

During the 13th century, variants of the name such as "Dunayre" and "Dunayere" appeared in various parish records and tax rolls across southern England, particularly in the counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. These early spellings likely reflected regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written English at the time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Dunayer surname was Sir Thomas Dunayer (1520-1588), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in recognition of his contributions to the local community and his philanthropic endeavors.

Another prominent individual was Mary Dunayer (1634-1712), a Puritan author and poet from Dorset. Her collection of religious verses, titled "The Pious Musings," was widely circulated among Puritan communities in the American colonies.

During the 18th century, John Dunayer (1745-1821), a successful banker from London, established the Dunayer Banking House, which played a significant role in facilitating trade between England and its colonies.

In the 19th century, the Dunayer name became associated with the industrial revolution. William Dunayer (1812-1879) was a pioneering engineer who contributed to the development of early steam engines and rail transportation systems in Britain.

Throughout history, variations of the Dunayer surname have also been found in other parts of Europe, such as Germany and France, possibly due to migration or intermarriage. However, the name's origins are firmly rooted in England, where it has been documented for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunayer

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

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

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

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