Explore the Family Name Dun
The meaning of Dun
1. Scottish: habitational name from Dun in Angus. 2. English: variant of Dunn. 3. Dutch: nickname from Middle Dutch dun ‘thin’. 4. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 頓, meaning ‘pause’ in Chinese: from Dun (頓), the name of a state (located in Henan province), annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 5. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 敦, meaning ‘sincere’ in Chinese: (i) from placename Dun (敦), the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) said to be granted to the descendants of the legendary emperor Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (ii) from Dun (敦), personal name of Shi Dun (史敦), an official during the reign of Duke Wen of Qin (the 7th ruler of the state of Qin, died 716 BC).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dun in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Dun has seen a minor decrease in popularity in the United States between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, 'Dun' was ranked 42,830th in terms of prevalence among all surnames in the country. This dropped slightly to a rank of 42,858 in 2010, indicating a change of -0.07%. However, despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of people with the surname Dun increased by 6.09%, from 476 in 2000 to 505 in 2010. The proportion per 100k decreased by 5.56% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,830 | #42,858 | -0.07% |
| Count | 476 | 505 | 6.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.17 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dun
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Dun also saw some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the highest percentage of Duns identified as either Asian/Pacific Islander or White, at 42.44% and 43.91% respectively. By 2010, however, the number identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander had decreased by 9.94%, while those identifying as White had increased by 13.64%. There were also notable increases in the percentages of Duns identifying as Hispanic (a rise of 61.90%) and those identifying as two or more races (a rise of 4.26%). Conversely, the percentage of Duns identifying as Black decreased by 34.68% during this time. The percentage that identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged at 0.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 43.91% | 49.9% | 13.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 42.44% | 38.22% | -9.94% |
| Black | 8.19% | 5.35% | -34.68% |
| Two or More Races | 3.99% | 4.16% | 4.26% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.38% | 61.9% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |