Show ContentsDunlop History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Dunlop

What does the name Dunlop mean?

The rugged west coast of Scotland and the desolate Hebrides islands are the ancestral home of the Dunlop family. Their name indicates that the original bearer lived in the lands of Dunlop in the district of Cunningham. Until the mid-19th century, the name was locally pronounced Delap or Dulap.

Early Origins of the Dunlop family

The surname Dunlop was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where one of the first records of the name was Dominius Willelmus de Dunlop who was listed as a witness to an indenture in 1260. Interestingly, the original document was lost but a notarial copy was made in 1444. The Ragman Rolls list Neill Fitz-Robert de Dunlop.

Early History of the Dunlop family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dunlop research. Another 283 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1496, 1564, 1620, 1654, 1663, 1665, 1667, 1677, 1684, 1690, 1692, 1700, 1706, 1720, 1745, 1747 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dunlop History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dunlop Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Dunlop has been spelled Dunlop, Dunlap, Dunlope, Delap and others.

Early Notables of the Dunlop family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

  • Alexander Dunlop (c.1620-c.1667), a Presbyterian minister at Paisley, Scotland
  • William Dunlop, the Elder (c.1654-1700) a Covenanter, adventurer, and Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1690 to 1700

Dunlop World Ranking

In the United States, the name Dunlop is the 7,543rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Dunlop is ranked the 922nd most popular surname with an estimated 5,861 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Dunlop is the 802nd popular surname with an estimated 4,895 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Dunlop as 581st with 1,228 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Dunlop as 894th with 7,662 people. 5

Migration of the Dunlop family to Ireland

Some of the Dunlop family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dunlop migration to the United States +

The hardy Scots who made the crossing settled all along the east coast of North America and in the great west that was just then opening up. At the time of the American War of Independence, many United Empire Loyalists moved north from the American colonies to Canada. Scottish national heritage became better known in North America in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic events. An examination of immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Dunlop arrived in North America very early:

  • Mr. Archibald Dunlop, (1672 - 1713), born in Glasgow, Scottish merchant trader between New York and Spain, he arrived in Stratford, Fairfield, Conneticut prior to 1704 when he married Mary Beach of Connecticut.
Dunlop Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Alexander Dunlop, who landed in South Carolina in 1684 6
  • Agnes Dunlop, who arrived in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1685 6
Dunlop Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Dunlop, who arrived in New England in 1713 6
  • Sarah Boon Dunlop, who landed in New England in 1714 6
  • Alexander Dunlop who had purchased lands and settled in New Hampshire, in 1718
  • Ann Dunlop, who landed in Virginia in 1754 6
  • Charles Dunlop, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Dunlop Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • N Dunlop, who arrived in America in 1805 6
  • Hugh Dunlop, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 6
  • John B Dunlop, aged 24, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 6
  • E Dunlop, aged 31, who arrived in Maryland in 1813 6
  • David Dunlop, aged 18, who landed in New York, NY in 1822 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dunlop migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dunlop Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Dunlop, aged 17, who arrived in Quebec in 1833
  • Alexander Dunlop, aged 22, who arrived in Quebec in 1833
  • John Dunlop, aged 24, who landed in Quebec in 1834
  • Matilda Dunlop, aged 19, who landed in Quebec in 1835
  • Ellen Jane Dunlop, aged 22, who landed in Quebec in 1835
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dunlop migration to Australia +

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

Dunlop Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Dunlop, (b. 1818), aged 21, Irish labourer who was convicted in Cavan, Ireland for life for coining, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 19th May 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • David Dunlop, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Dauntless" in 1840 8
  • Miss. Jean Dunlop, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baretto Junior" on 5th April 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
  • Miss Eliza Dunlop, (b. 1831), aged 20, Irish nurse girl who was convicted in Ireland for 10 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Stewart Dunlop, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on April 16, 1855, settling in Western Australia 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dunlop 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:

Dunlop Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • A Dunlop, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Lady Nugent
  • Anthony Dunlop, aged 27, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
  • Elizabeth Dunlop, aged 26, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
  • A. Dunlop, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 17th March 1841 12
  • James Dunlop, aged 29, a merchant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lalla Rookh" in 1849
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Dunlop (post 1700) +

  • Brigadier-General Robert Horace Dunlop (1886-1970), American Director of Civilian Personnel Division (1943-1946) 13
  • John Thomas Dunlop (1914-2003), American administrator, former US Secretary of Labor
  • Douglas Morton Dunlop (b. 1909), Scottish-American professor of history and orientalist
  • R. E. Dunlop, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from Washington 1st District, 1910 14
  • John W. Dunlop (1897-1949), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Osceola District, 1941-42; Defeated in primary, 1942, 1948; Chair of Clare County Republican Party, 1949 14
  • John Thomas Dunlop (1914-2003), American politician, Secretary of Labor, 1975-76 14
  • John Dunlop, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Houston, Texas, 1939-47 14
  • James Dunlop, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 15th District, 1824-27 14
  • Beveridge C. Dunlop, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Rockland County, 1914 14
  • Archibald A. Dunlop, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County 4th District, 1854 14
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Dunlop Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Merito
Motto Translation: With merit.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  5. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  6. 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)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAUNTLESS 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Dauntless.htm
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baretto-junior
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blackfriar
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Western Australia, Australia in 1855 with 261 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1855
  12. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  13. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Robert Dunlop. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Dunlop/Robert_Horace/USA.html
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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