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

Dunker, 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 Dunker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunker in America

Dunker is the 19177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunker surname appeared 1,416 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 Dunker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunker 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 Dunker

The surname Dunker has its origins in Germany, and it likely emerged during the late medieval or early modern period. It is believed to be derived from the German word "dunken," which means "to dip" or "to immerse." This suggests a connection to occupations involving dyeing or textile work, where fabrics were dipped into vats of dye.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dunker can be found in the town records of Lübeck, Germany, from the 16th century. The name appears as "Duncker," which was a common spelling variation at the time. This suggests that the name was well-established in northern Germany during this period.

In the 17th century, a group of German Protestants known as the Dunkers or Dunkards emerged in the region of Schwarzenau, Germany. This religious sect, whose members practiced adult baptism by immersion, likely took their name from the act of "dunking" or immersing new members during baptism ceremonies. It is possible that some members of this group adopted the surname Dunker, contributing to its spread.

One notable individual with the surname Dunker was Johann Dunker, a German composer and organist who lived from 1645 to 1703. He is known for his contributions to the development of the North German organ school and his compositions for organ and other instruments.

Another historical figure with this surname was Wilhelm Dunker, a German paleontologist and geologist who lived from 1809 to 1885. He made significant contributions to the study of fossils and geological formations, particularly in the region of Westphalia, Germany.

In the 19th century, the name Dunker appeared in various regions of Germany, including the town of Künzelsau in Baden-Württemberg, where a family of Dunkers owned a brewery and malt house. One member of this family, Johann Gottfried Dunker, was born in 1811 and became a prominent figure in the local community.

As German immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, such as North America and Australia, they brought the surname Dunker with them. In the United States, one notable individual with this surname was Gottlieb Dunker, a German-born Lutheran minister who lived from 1782 to 1851 and served as the first president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

While the Dunker surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its German origins and connections to various occupations, religious groups, and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunker

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

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

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

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