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

Dunson, 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 Dunson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dunson in America

Dunson is the 8110th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dunson surname appeared 4,088 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 Dunson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dunson 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 Dunson

The surname Dunson is of English origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning "hill" and "sunu" meaning "son," essentially translating to "son of the hill." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive reference to someone who lived on or near a hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Dunson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. In this document, a certain William Dunson is listed as a resident of the village of Eynesbury.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various forms, such as Dunsone, Dunzune, and Dunzeoun, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common at the time. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, and Northamptonshire, where several families bearing the surname Dunson were documented in local records and parish registers.

One notable individual with the surname Dunson was John Dunson, a printer and bookseller who lived in London during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was born in 1661 and is remembered for publishing several influential works, including the first edition of "The Athenian Gazette" in 1691, which was one of the earliest literary periodicals in England.

Another historical figure associated with the name Dunson was William Dunson, a merchant and ship owner who lived in Boston, Massachusetts, in the late 18th century. He was born in 1745 and was known for his involvement in the transatlantic trade between New England and the West Indies.

In the 19th century, a notable individual named Mary Ann Dunson (1816-1888) gained recognition as an author and advocate for women's rights. She was born in England and later immigrated to the United States, where she published several books and articles promoting the cause of gender equality.

Another individual worth mentioning is James Dunson (1830-1905), a prominent architect who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Organists and the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Brownswood Park.

Lastly, in the 20th century, the name Dunson was carried by Sir Reginald Dunson (1909-1988), a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and was knighted for his services to industry and commerce.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dunson

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

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

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

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