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Dunstan Family History

Dunstan Surname Meaning

English:: from a Middle English personal name Dunstan (Old English Dūnstān) from dūn ‘hill’ + stān ‘stone’. This name was borne by a 10th-century archbishop of Canterbury who was later canonized.

Habitational name from Dunston (Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk) from the Old English personal name Dunn + tūn ‘settlement’. Occasionally the name may also arise from Dunstan (Northumberland) from Old English dūn ‘hill’ + stān ‘stone’.

Variant of Cornish Dunstone, a habitational name from Dunstone near Ermington (in Yealmpton, Devon) or perhaps from Dunstone near Widdecombe (Devon).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Dunstan family from?

You can see how Dunstan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dunstan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dunstan families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 897 Dunstan families living in Cornwall. This was about 53% of all the recorded Dunstan's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Dunstan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dunstan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Dunstan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dunstan. 10% of Dunstan men worked as a Dairy Farmer and 70% of Dunstan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dunstan were Carpenter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Dunstan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Dairy Farmer
    10%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Dunstan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 58,000 census records available for the last name Dunstan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dunstan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dunstan

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Dunstan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dunstan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Dunstan. For the veterans among your Dunstan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dunstan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dunstan family history

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What is the average Dunstan lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Dunstan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Dunstan in 1951 was 70, and 63 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dunstan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dunstan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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