Dunker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Dunker comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames; so as to remain distinct from the many others of the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from," which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Dunker was a name for some one lived near a swamp. Ancient records reveal the name Dunker is derived from the Old German word dunk, which referred to a small hill in a swampy area. The surname Dunker is also of nickname origin and derived from the word dunck, or dunkel which means dark. One must assume that the original bearers of the surname Dunker had dark physical features.

Early Origins of the Dunker family

The surname Dunker was first found in the Rhineland, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. The earliest individual member of this family to be mentioned in chronicles was Georg Dunckel who lived in Cologne on the Rhine river around 1186.

Early History of the Dunker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunker research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1811 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Dunker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunker Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Dunker include Dunkel, Dunckel, Dunkelman, Dunkelmann, Dunkell, Dunkle, Dunker and many more.

Early Notables of the Dunker family

More information is included under the topic Early Dunker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunker migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Dunker were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Dunker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Marie Cath Dunker, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 1
Fr Wilh Dunker, aged 48, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1843 1
Mr. Mathias Dunker, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Andacia"
Adolph Dunker, who arrived in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Friedrich" 1
Charles Dunker, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)