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Dunston History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Dunston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Dunston surname lived near a stony hill. Dunston is derived from two Old English elements: dun and stan. Dun was a word for hill, and stan meant "stony." The translation of the name is therefore "stony hill." 1

It is also possible that the name is patronymic; that is, derived from the name of a parent. Dunstan was a popular given name in England in the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Dunston family

The surname Dunston was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The earliest reference of the name was of Saint Dunstan (c.909-988,) who was an Abbot of Glastonbury, a Bishop of Worcester, a Bishop of London, and an Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the son of Heorstan, a West-Saxon noble, whose estate lay near Glastonbury. 2

Durston is a village and civil parish in Somerset that dates back to the Domesday Books where it lists Roger Arundel as originally holding the land but later passed to William de Arlegh who founded the priory of Buckland Sororum (also known as Buckland Priory) in about 1167.

"The earliest mention of Tehidy [Cornwall] occurs so early as the year 1100; at which time Alan de Dunstanville, who was then lord of the manor, and with whose female descendant William Basset married, granted a lease of Min winnion, now situated in the park, to Paul Guyer. This grant is said to have been renewed to Richard the son of Paul Guyer, about the year 1140 by William Basset, whose marriage with Cecilia, the heiress of Alan de Dunstanville, must have taken place some time between the dates of these two grants." 3

The market-town and parish of Shiffnall in Shropshire was home to another branch of the family. "This place, formerly called Idsall, appears to have been of greater note than it is at present. It belonged to Earl Morcar prior to the Conquest, and at a period considerably later was the property of the family of Dunstanville, one of whom, Walter de Dunstanville, by the special command of Henry III., resided in the Marches, to protect them against the ravaging incursions of the Welsh. The estate afterwards came into the possession of the Badlesmeres, who obtained from Edward I. a market for two days in the week, and two yearly fairs." 4

John Danstin, Dastyn or Daustin (fl. 1320), was an early English alchemist who "occupied, the foremost place among the alchemists of his time, and was the only master of his art in England. Originally a monk, he gave himself up to philosophical inquiries, and was reduced to the utmost poverty. The only record which remains to fix the period when Dastin lived is a letter which he addressed to Pope John XXII." 2

Interestingly, Colonel George Durston was a collective pseudonym used by the Saalfield Publishing Company as the author of various American series books in the early 20th century.

Early History of the Dunston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunston research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1291, 1720 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Dunston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunston Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Dunston are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Dunston include: Dunstan, Dunston, Dunstone, Dunstane, Donston, Dunstavill, Dunstanville and many more.

Early Notables of the Dunston family

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

Dunston Ranking

In the United States, the name Dunston is the 7,158^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Dunston migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Dunston or a variant listed above:

Dunston Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Cicely Dunston, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 6
Andrew Dunston who settled in Virginia with his wife Cicely in 1653
Andrew Dunston, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
William Dunston, who landed in Virginia in 1654 6
Ralph Dunston, who arrived in Virginia in 1656 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dunston Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Dunston, who landed in Virginia in 1705 6

Dunston Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Dunston, aged 34, who landed in New York in 1812 6
H Dunston, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Dunston migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dunston Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Thomas Dunston, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Dunston Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Alfred Dunston, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838

Dunston migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dunston Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Francis Dunston, aged 33, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Thetis" 7
Ambrose Dunston, aged 26, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Thetis" 7
Harriet Dunston, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 8
Mrs. Jane Dunston, (b. 1833), aged 29, Cornish housekeeper departing from Soton on 17th March 1862 aboard the ship "Boanerges" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 9th July 1862 9
Mr. Henry Dunston, (b. 1856), aged 6, Cornish settler departing from Soton on 17th March 1862 aboard the ship "Boanerges" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 9th July 1862 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dunston migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Dunston Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Samuel Dunston, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 10
Jane F. Dunston, aged 22, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 10
Mrs. Julia A. Dunston, (b. 1846), aged 30, Cornish settler departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 11
Mr. Loreza Dunston, (b. 1875), aged 9 months, Cornish settler departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 11
Miss Mary Dunston, (b. 1871), aged 5, Cornish settler departing on 24th June 1876 aboard the ship "Waitangi " arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th September 1876 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dunston (post 1700) +

Shawon Donnell Dunston (b. 1963), American former Major League Baseball shortstop
John Herbert Dunston FRSA (b. 1952), English headmaster of Leighton Park School and Sibford School
Richard Dunston, English shipbuilder in Yorkshire in the 1800s

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
South Australian Register Friday 1st September 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/thetis1854.shtml
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lady Macdonald 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ladymacdonald1855.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf