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Show ContentsDunstone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The origins of the Dunstone name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Dunstone was originally derived from a family having lived near a stony hill. Dunstone 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 Dunstone family

The surname Dunstone 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 Dunstone family

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

Dunstone Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Dunstone include Dunstan, Dunston, Dunstone, Dunstane, Donston, Dunstavill, Dunstanville and many more.

Early Notables of the Dunstone family

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

United States Dunstone migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Dunstone Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Dunstone, who landed in Maryland or Virginia in 1670 5
Dunstone Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. F. Dunstone, (b. 1820), aged 25, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Cornwall" arriving in the United States on 3 June 1841 6

Australia Dunstone migration to Australia +

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

Dunstone Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Benjamin Dunstone, Cornish settler convicted in Bodmin, Cornwall, UK on 6th August 1787, sentenced for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" on 19th January 1790 to New South Wales, Australia 7
Dunstone Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Dunstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bruce" in 1846 8
  • John Dunstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bruce" in 1846 8
  • Clarinda Dunstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bruce" in 1846 8
  • John Dunstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 9
  • Mr. John Dunstone, (b. 1812), aged 37, Cornish miner from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lysander" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 13th January 1849 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Dunstone 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:

Dunstone Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas H. Dunstone, (b. 1851), aged 22, Cornish settler departing on 19th May 1873 aboard the ship "Columbus " arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 2nd September 1873 11
  • Mrs. Rosina Dunstone, (b. 1851), aged 22, Cornish farm labourer departing on 19th May 1873 aboard the ship "Columbus " arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 2nd September 1873 11
  • Mrs. Grace Dunstone, (b. 1840), aged 32, Cornish settler departing on 31st October 1872 aboard the ship "Warwick" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 23rd February 1873 12
  • Miss Sarah Jane Dunstone, (b. 1863), aged 9, Cornish settler departing on 31st October 1872 aboard the ship "Warwick" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 23rd February 1873 12
  • Mr. William Dunstone, (b. 1865), aged 7, Cornish settler departing on 31st October 1872 aboard the ship "Warwick" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 23rd February 1873 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Richard Edward Dunstone, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 13
HMS Royal Oak
  • Geoffrey Dunstone, British Warrant Engineer with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 14
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  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. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  7. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY BRUCE 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846LadyBruce.htm
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHOEBE 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Phoebe.htm
  10. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
  11. 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
  12. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  13. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  14. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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