2000
#8,938
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,363
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.25
Rare Last name
Dunkin
Derived from the Old English personal name Dunn, meaning "dark" or "brown," likely referring to hair or complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,921 Americans carry the last name Dunkin. That puts it at #9,167 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,415 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dunkin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Dunkin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.9K
1 in 87,415
Census rank
#9,167
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,419 bearers of the surname Dunkin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9167th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dunkin
The surname Dunkin originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dun" and "dune," which referred to a hill or a down, suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, given to individuals residing near a prominent hill or elevated terrain.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents. In the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 during the reign of William the Conqueror, there are references to individuals bearing similar surnames, such as de Dunes and de Duna, which likely evolved into the modern spelling of Dunkin over time.
During the 13th century, the name Dunkin appeared in various legal records and charters. One notable example is Robert Dunkin, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230. Similarly, in 1275, a certain William Dunkin was recorded as a witness to a land transaction in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire.
The name Dunkin has also been associated with place names, particularly areas with hilly or elevated landscapes. For instance, the village of Dunkin in Somerset, England, may have influenced the surname's spelling and prevalence in that region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Dunkin. One prominent figure was Sir John Dunkin (1580-1644), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in the early 17th century. Another prominent bearer of the name was Edmund Dunkin (1684-1736), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge.
In the literary realm, John Dunkin (1782-1846) was an English poet and antiquarian, known for his work "The History and Antiquities of Bicester." Additionally, William Dunkin (1817-1886) was a British artist and engraver who specialized in portraiture and historical scenes.
The name Dunkin has also been associated with various occupations and trades. For example, in the 16th century, a certain Thomas Dunkin was recorded as a baker in the parish registers of St. Dunstan's, Canterbury, possibly indicating a connection between the surname and the baking profession.
While the surname Dunkin has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Today, it can be found in various countries, with each region potentially adding its own unique variations and interpretations to the name's history and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dunkin
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Dunkin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Dunkin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.7% · 2,793
- Black or African American7.7% · 263
- Two or more races5.2% · 179
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 123
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 38
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dunkin
Dunkin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,334
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,489
+126 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 1.18
Rank movement Down 396 places
2020
#9,167
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,419
-70 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Up 167 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,938 | 3,363 | 1.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,334 | 3,489 | 1.18 | +126 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 396 places |
| 2020 | #9,167 | 3,419 | 1.14 | -70 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 167 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Dunkin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,334 | #9,167 | 1.8% |
| Count | 3,489 | 3,419 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.18 | 1.14 | -3.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dunkin bearers went from 3,489 to 3,419 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 167 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,334 to #9,167.
FAQ
Dunkin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dunkin?
Name Census estimates that about 3,921 living Americans carry the surname Dunkin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,415 residents.
How common is Dunkin?
Dunkin ranks #9,167 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,419 people with the surname Dunkin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,921), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Dunkin.
Has Dunkin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dunkin went from 3,489 recorded bearers to 3,419. That is a decrease of 70 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,334 to #9,167.
What does the Census say about the background of Dunkin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.7%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dunkin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.7% (2,793 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dunkin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.7%), Black (7.7%), Two or More Races (5.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Dunkin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Dunkin mean?
Derived from the Old English personal name Dunn, meaning "dark" or "brown," likely referring to hair or complexion. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Dunkin (1.14 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Dunkin?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Dunkin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.