Dunbor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Dunbor surname is derived from the name of the Barony of Dunbar on the North Sea coast near Edinburgh. The place name comes from the Gaelic words "dùn," meaning "a fort," and "barr," meaning "top," or "summit."

Early Origins of the Dunbor family

The surname Dunbor was first found in the barony of Dunbar in the Lothians where they held a family seat from very ancient times; ever since the 11th century, when Cospatrick was deprived of his Earldom of Northumberland by William the Conqueror, and fled to Scotland. There he was granted the lands of Dunbar and Lothian, Cumnock in Ayrshire, and Mochrum in Wigtown by Malcolm Ceanmore, the King of Scotland. Traditionally, the family descend from Crinan of Dunkeld, the Earl of Northumberland, ancestor of both King Duncan I (d. 1040) and the Earls Gospatrick, who were the later the Earls of March. Of this line, Patrick V, Earl of March (c.1285-1369) gave English King Edward II sanctuary at the fortress of Dunbar Castle following the Battle of Bannockburn. He was one of the Scottish nobles, who signed, the declaration of Scottish independence to the Pope dated at Arbroath on 6 April 1320. He was married to the infamous "Black Agnes," (Agnes Dunbar, 4th Countess of Moray), "that brawling boisterous Scottish wench" as an English balladeer had called her. In the Earl's absence, she held Dunbar castle for several months before succumbing to the overwhelming English army in 1337.

Early History of the Dunbor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunbor research. Another 174 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1320, 1435, 1465, 1530, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dunbor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunbor Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dunbar, Dunbarr and others.

Early Notables of the Dunbor family

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

Migration of the Dunbor family to Ireland

Some of the Dunbor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dunbor family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Alexander Dunbarr who settled in Virginia in 1654; Jeremiah Dunbarr settled in Maryland in 1716; John Dunbarr settled in Virginia in 1716; William Dunbarr settled in St. Christopher in 1635.