2000
#11,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,479
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.92
Rare Last name
Dunkley
Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,428 Americans carry the last name Dunkley. That puts it at #10,256 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,987 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dunkley 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 Dunkley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 99,987
Census rank
#10,256
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,989 bearers of the surname Dunkley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10256th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dunkley
The surname Dunkley is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning "hill" and "leah" meaning "a clearing or meadow." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a meadow on a hill or near a settlement with this type of topography.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where it appears as "Dunkel." This variation in spelling was common during that era and highlights the evolution of the name over time.
In the 13th century, the Dunkley surname also appeared in other historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled as "Dunkeleye." This entry suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific place or locality.
During the 14th century, the name was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it appeared as "Dunkel" and "Dunkeleye." These records provide insights into the taxation and economic status of individuals bearing this surname.
One notable historical figure with the Dunkley surname was John Dunkley, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer. Born in Bristol around 1545, he is known for his voyages to West Africa and the Americas, where he established trade routes and contributed to the expansion of English commerce.
Another prominent individual was Sir William Dunkley (1617-1678), a wealthy English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the 17th century. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.
In the 18th century, the Dunkley surname was associated with the village of Dunkley, which was located in the county of Worcestershire. This connection to a specific place further reinforces the locational origins of the name.
Thomas Dunkley (1724-1795), an English clergyman and author, is also noteworthy. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England and wrote several religious works that were widely read during his lifetime.
Another individual of historical significance was Elizabeth Dunkley (1786-1868), a British philanthropist and social reformer. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and advocating for education and healthcare initiatives.
Throughout its history, the Dunkley surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from merchants and explorers to politicians, clergymen, and philanthropists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of those who have borne it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dunkley
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Dunkley 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 Dunkley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American49.7% · 1,485
- White40.2% · 1,201
- Two or more races4.7% · 140
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dunkley
Dunkley 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
#10,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,049
+570 bearers (+23.0%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 1,096 places
2020
#10,256
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,989
-60 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 264 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,616 | 2,479 | 0.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,520 | 3,049 | 1.03 | +570 bearers (+23.0%) | Up 1,096 places |
| 2020 | #10,256 | 2,989 | 1.00 | -60 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 264 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 Dunkley 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 | #10,520 | #10,256 | 2.5% |
| Count | 3,049 | 2,989 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 1.00 | -2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dunkley bearers went from 3,049 to 2,989 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 264 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,520 to #10,256.
FAQ
Dunkley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dunkley?
Name Census estimates that about 3,428 living Americans carry the surname Dunkley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,987 residents.
How common is Dunkley?
Dunkley ranks #10,256 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 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 2,989 people with the surname Dunkley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,428), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 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 Dunkley.
Has Dunkley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dunkley went from 3,049 recorded bearers to 2,989. That is a decrease of 60 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,520 to #10,256.
What does the Census say about the background of Dunkley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dunkley, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dunkley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.7% (1,485 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dunkley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (49.7%), White (40.2%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Dunkley (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 Dunkley mean?
Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing" in Old English. 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 Dunkley (1.00 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 share the surname Dunkley?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.