Show ContentsBunn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Anglo-Saxon name Bunn come from its first bearer, who was a person who was of good character. It originally derived from the Old French as le bon which was used as a term of endearment. The surname was adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Bunn family

The surname Bunn was first found in Oxfordshire, where Edward le Bon was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1204. In Wiltshire, the first record there was that of Rocelin le Bun who appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1255. Walter le Bone was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and Thomas Bonne was found in Herefordshire in 1379. 2

Walter Buns was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Rogerus Bonne; and Johannes Bunne. 3

Early History of the Bunn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bunn research. Another 229 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1255, 1296, 1379, 1500, 1618, 1788, 1796, 1823, 1826, 1830, 1833, 1840 and 1860 are included under the topic Early Bunn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunn Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Bunn has been spelled many different ways, including Bunn, Bun, Bon, Bonn, Bone, Bonne, Bunne and others.

Early Notables of the Bunn family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Alfred Bunn (1796-1860), a prominent theatrical figure who served as joint manager of the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres in London in the 1830s. Elliston gave him his first appointment as stage...

Bunn Ranking

In the United States, the name Bunn is the 2,527th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 4


Bunn migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bunns to arrive in North America:

Bunn Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Bunn who arrived in Virginia in 1623
  • Deborah Bunn, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 5
Bunn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Bunn, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1744 5
  • John Bunn, who landed in Maryland in 1744
Bunn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William N Bunn, who arrived in New York in 1812 5
  • William Bunn, who landed in New York in 1846 5
  • Robert S Bunn, who landed in Mississippi in 1854 5

Bunn migration to Australia +

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

Bunn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Bunn, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • Charles Bunn, aged 17, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Eliza" 7
  • William Bunn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "John Munn" in 1849 8
  • Ruth Bunn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Blundell" in 1851 9

Bunn 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:

Bunn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Fanny Bunn, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cashmere" in 1853 10
  • Mr. W. Bunn , British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Northfleet" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, Via Wellington and Lyttleton in February 1854 11
  • Elizabeth Bunn, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cresswell" in 1856
  • Maria Bunn, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cresswell" in 1856
  • Sarah Bunn, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cresswell" in 1856
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bunn (post 1700) +

  • Thomas E. Bunn (b. 1959), American former law enforcement officer and politician, Member of the Oregon House of Representatives (1992-1993)
  • William Malcolm Bunn (1842-1923), American newspaperman and politician, 10th Governor of Idaho Territory from 1884 to 1885
  • Stan Bunn (b. 1946), American politician and lawyer, Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction (1999-2003)
  • Romanzo Norton Bunn (1829-1909), United States federal judge
  • John Whitfield Bunn (1831-1920), American corporate leader, financier, industrialist, and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln
  • John W. Bunn (1898-1979), American basketball coach of Springfield College (1946-1956) and Colorado State College (1956-1963),Chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame (1949-1963), inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964
  • James Lee 'Jim" Bunn (b. 1956), American former politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon (1995-1997)
  • George Bunn, American inventor of the fluted coffee filter and founder of the Bunn-o-Matic Corporation
  • George Bunn (1925-2013), American diplomat, lawyer
  • George Lincoln Bunn (1865-1918), American lawyer, judge, and academic
  • ... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Indianapolis
  • Horace G. Bunn (1924-1945), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 12


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
  6. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Eliza.htm
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN MUNN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849JohnMunnPassengers.htm
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BLUNDELL 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Blundell.htm
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew


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