| ![Show Contents]() Dunk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. The Dunk history starts with such a migration. As the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames refers either directly or indirectly to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, physical appearance, habits, or character, among other attributes. Flemish names of this type frequently feature the prefixes lile, which meant the. The surname Dunk is a nickname for a quarrelsome person. The surname Dunk is derived from the Old English word dunch, which means a push, a knock, or a bump. Early Origins of the Dunk familyThe surname Dunk was first found in Berkshire at Little Wittenham, a parish, in the union of Wallingford, hundred of Ock. "The church contains monuments to the Dunche family. Sinodun Hill, in the neighbourhood, is surrounded by an ancient intrenchment supposed to be British." 1 Early History of the Dunk familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunk research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1508, 1551, 1593, 1597, 1602, 1611, 1621, 1623, 1630, 1639, 1653, 1654, 1657, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1678, 1679, 1680, 1711, 1718 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Dunk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dunk Spelling VariationsFlemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Dunk, Dunch, Dunche, Dunke, Dunck and others. Early Notables of the Dunk familyProminent in the family at this time was - William Dunk, Vicar of Sauton
 Dunk migration to the United States | + |
Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Dunk family to immigrate North America:
Dunk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Edward Dunk, who settled in New England in 1748
Dunk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Charles, David, Henry, Robert, and William Dunk, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1850 and 1860
| Dunk migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Dunk Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. James Dunk, (b. 1795), aged 36, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years for machine breaking, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2
- Mr. James Dunk, British convict who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Henry Tanner" on 27th June 1834, settling in New South Wales, Australia 3
- Thomas Dunk, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Harpley" in 1848 4
- Mary Dunk, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Harpley" in 1848 4
- Charlotte Dunk, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Harpley" in 1848 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Dunk (post 1700) | + |
- Chris Dunk (b. 1958), American former professional tennis player
- Jim Dunk, English actor best known for his role as Dave Stocks in the soap opera Crossroads
- Lewis Carl Dunk (b. 1991), English footballer
- George Montagu- Dunk KG, PC (1716-1771), 2nd Earl of Halifax, a British statesman, President of the Board of Trade (1748-1761), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1761-1763)
- Sir William Ernest Dunk CBE (1897-1984), Australian senior official in the Australian Public Service, Secretary of the Department of External Affairs (1945-1947), Chairman of the Public Service Board (1947-1961)
- Ben Robert Dunk (b. 1987), Australian professional cricket player
- William Edgar "Bill" Dunk (b. 1938), Australian professional golfer
| Historic Events for the Dunk family | + |
HMS Royal Oak - Walter William Dunk (1922-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 5
- Charles Albert Dunk (1901-1939), British Chief Mechanician with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 5
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Dunk migration to the United States 
Dunk migration to Australia 
