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

Dunshee, 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 Dunshee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunshee in America

Dunshee is the 45886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunshee surname appeared 465 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 Dunshee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunshee 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 Dunshee

The surname Dunshee is of Scottish origin, originating in the region of Dumfriesshire, Scotland in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down and "sceaga" meaning a small wood or thicket, referring to someone who lived near a wooded hill or down.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the ancient Scottish manuscript, the Ragman Rolls, in 1296, where it is written as "de Dunschawe". This document was a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 14th century, the name is found recorded in various forms such as "Dunschaw" and "Dunschewe" in the Black Book of Taymouth, a historic registry of land charters and deeds in Scotland.

The Dunshees were a prominent family in Dumfriesshire, with several members holding positions of authority and influence. One notable figure was Sir John Dunshee, born in 1412, who served as the Sheriff of Dumfriesshire and played a crucial role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English.

Another historical figure with the surname was Robert Dunshee, born in 1547, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He served as the principal of the University of Glasgow and authored several influential works on religious philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Dunshees were also found in the county of Ayrshire, where the name was sometimes spelled as "Dunshey" or "Dunshie". One prominent member of this branch was William Dunshey, born in 1639, who was a respected landowner and member of the local gentry.

The name Dunshee has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Dunshee Hill in Dumfriesshire and Dunshee Farm in Ayrshire, further solidifying its connection to the Scottish landscape and heritage.

Over the centuries, the Dunshee surname has been carried by many notable individuals, including the 19th-century Scottish poet and writer, James Dunshee (1789-1865), who was renowned for his works depicting the rural life and landscapes of Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunshee

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

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

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

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