Dunkalfe is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dunkalfe family lived in Yorkshire. One reference suggests that the name could be derived from the localat the dun-croft but this is only speculation.
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Early Origins of the Dunkalfe family
The surname Dunkalfe was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, where conjecturally this family is descended on the male side from Drogo de Beuvriere, a Norman knight, who held the village of Ottringham from the Archbishop of York. Drogo was originally granted the castle of Skipsey and was said to have married a kinswoman of William the Conqueror who he killed in 1086, either by accident or design. He fled the country leaving only his descendants on estates in Yorkshire.
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Early History of the Dunkalfe family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunkalfe research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dunkalfe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Dunkalfe Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Duncalfe, Duncalf and others.
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Early Notables of the Dunkalfe family
More information is included under the topic Early Dunkalfe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Dunkalfe family
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Dunkalfe or a variant listed above: William Duncalfe who settled in Virginia in 1739; John B. Duncalfe arrived in Philadelphia in 1868.
England
