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

Dunnam, 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 Dunnam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunnam in America

Dunnam is the 14799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunnam surname appeared 2,005 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dunnam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunnam 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 Dunnam

The surname Dunnam 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 or down, and "ham" meaning homestead or village. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a homestead or village located on or near a hill or down.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dunnam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a census commissioned by William the Conqueror to record landholdings in England. The name is listed as "Dunham," which was likely an earlier spelling variation.

During the 13th century, the name Dunnam appeared in various records and documents from counties such as Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. It is possible that the name was associated with individuals who hailed from places like Dunham Massey in Cheshire or Dunham-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, both of which were recorded as "Dunham" in the Domesday Book.

Notable individuals with the surname Dunnam throughout history include William Dunnam, a English clergyman and author who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his published works on theology and religious topics. Another notable figure was John Dunnam, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who lived in the late 17th century and was involved in local politics.

In the 18th century, Richard Dunnam was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. His most notable work is the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand, which was completed in 1723.

During the 19th century, a man named Thomas Dunnam made a name for himself as a successful industrialist and businessman in the city of Birmingham. He owned several factories and contributed significantly to the city's manufacturing industry.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Dunnam was the American writer and poet, William Dunnam, who was born in 1868 and died in 1935. He is known for his works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience.

Throughout its history, the surname Dunnam has undergone various spelling variations such as Dunham, Denham, and Donham. However, the essence of the name remains rooted in its English origins, reflecting the connection between the individuals bearing the name and the geographic features of hills or downs where their ancestral homesteads were located.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunnam

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

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

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

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