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

Dunsmore, 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 Dunsmore surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunsmore in America

Dunsmore is the 16415th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunsmore surname appeared 1,753 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 Dunsmore.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunsmore 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 Dunsmore

The surname Dunsmore has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the village of Dunsmore in Warwickshire. The name itself is composed of two elements: "dun," meaning a hill or low ridge, and "mor," meaning a moor or wasteland.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dunesmore." This historical record provides evidence of the existence of the name during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, the surname is documented in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Warwickshire in 1275, which mentions a "Roger de Dunsmore." This suggests that the name was well-established in the region of Warwickshire by this time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Dunsmore was John Dunsmore, born in 1548 in Warwickshire. He was a prominent landowner and played a significant role in local affairs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Dunsmore (1592-1668), a military commander who served in the English Civil War. He fought for the Royalist cause and was knighted by King Charles I for his bravery and loyalty.

In the 18th century, William Dunsmore (1717-1786) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Foundling Hospital.

The name Dunsmore also has connections to Scotland, where it is believed to have originated from a place called Dunsmore near Edinburgh. One prominent individual with this Scottish connection was James Dunsmore (1798-1875), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Lord President of the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland.

Another notable figure was Sir John Dunsmore (1810-1892), a British diplomat and politician. He served as the Governor of New South Wales, Australia, from 1868 to 1872 and played a significant role in the development of the colony.

These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the surname Dunsmore across different regions and time periods, with individuals making notable contributions in various fields, including military, architecture, law, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunsmore

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

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

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

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