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

Dunbar, 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 Dunbar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunbar in America

Dunbar is the 1335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunbar surname appeared 26,405 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Dunbar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunbar 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 Dunbar

The surname Dunbar originated in Scotland and is of territorial origin, derived from the town of Dunbar in East Lothian. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "dùn" meaning fort or castle, and "barr" meaning summit or hill, suggesting the town's location on a rocky headland.

The name Dunbar first appeared in historical records in the 12th century, with the earliest known bearer being Cospatric de Dunbar, who was appointed Earl of Dunbar by King David I of Scotland around 1115. The Dunbar family held considerable power and influence in Scotland for several centuries.

In the 13th century, the name is found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners, including Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of Dunbar.

The Dunbar family played a significant role in Scottish history, with several members holding prominent positions. One notable figure was George Dunbar, Earl of March (c. 1337-1420), who was a Scottish nobleman and military commander during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Another influential Dunbar was Gavin Dunbar (c. 1490-1547), who served as Archbishop of Glasgow and Lord Chancellor of Scotland under King James V.

William Dunbar (c. 1460-c. 1520) was a renowned Scottish poet of the medieval period, often referred to as the "Rhymer of Scotland." His works, such as "The Thrissil and the Rois" and "Lament for the Makaris," are considered among the finest examples of Scottish literature from that era.

In the 17th century, Sir William Dunbar of Hempriggs (1589-1663) was a Scottish landowner and member of Parliament who played a significant role in the Scottish Civil War. He initially supported the Royalist cause but later switched sides to the Covenanters.

The surname Dunbar has also been associated with various place names, such as Dunbar in East Lothian, as well as Dunbar in Cumbria, England, and Dunbar Creek in New Brunswick, Canada, reflecting the migration and settlement of families bearing this name in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunbar

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

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

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

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