Show ContentsDunson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Dunson surname is generally thought to have been a nickname derived from "son of Dan" [1] [2] or "son of Daniel." [3]

Early Origins of the Dunson family

The surname Dunson was first found in Cumberland (now Cumbria.) "For several centuries Danson has been a familiar South Cumberland and Furness surname. It is found in the neighbourhood of Millom." [3]

In the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland, we found Robert Dandeson who was listed there in 1332. A few years later, John Dandesone was listed in the Register of Freemen in York in 1363 and Robert Danson was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1381. [2]

Early History of the Dunson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunson research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1662, 1679, 1692, 1694 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Dunson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunson Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Dunson has undergone many spelling variations, including Danison, Danisone, Dansone, Danson and others.

Early Notables of the Dunson family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Danson (d. 1694), English nonconformist divine, born in the parish of St. Mary-le-Bow, London. "He then settled at Sibton, Suffolk, but in 1662 he was ejected from that living for nonconformity (Add. MS. 19165, f. 300). Subsequently he preached in London...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dunson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunson Ranking

In the United States, the name Dunson is the 7,842nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [4]


United States Dunson migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Dunson were among those contributors:

Dunson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Dunson, who landed in New Jersey in 1679 [5]
Dunson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Dunson, aged 38, who arrived in New Jersey in 1812 [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name Dunson (post 1700) +

  • John Dunson, American producer, known for his work on Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale (2010), Jake Stevens: The Last Protector (2015) and Lord Help Us (2007)


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook