Surname Dunicliffe - Meaning and Origin

Dunicliffe: What does the surname Dunicliffe mean?

The last name Dunicliffe has Irish origins and is derived from the Gaelic “Dun Iícluaidh.” This name means “house of the castle” or “fortified dwelling.” It is believed to have originated from an area of Northern Ireland called Iícluaidh. The name has been recorded between the 12th and 14th centuries and is thought to be an occupational surname for those who worked in or around a castle or fortified dwelling.

Various spellings of this surname have been recorded, such as Dunicleff, Dund Youcle, Duncancliff, and Dunicliff. It has also been found in places outside of Ireland, as the name has spread.

The Dunicliffe family is an old and established clan that is believed to be descended from the chiefs of the area and have tenaciously kept to their heritage. People bearing the Dunicliffe name are believed to be generous, hardworking, and kind-hearted.

This last name is likely to be rare, as many Irish bearers of the name decided to anglicize it to other spellings after they emigrated from Ireland to other parts of the world. Those bearing this last name today are likely to be proud of their Irish heritage and desire to share their story.

Dunicliffe: Where does the name Dunicliffe come from?

The last name Dunicliffe is most commonly found in England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. It is thought to have originated in medieval times as a derivative of the Anglo-Norman warrior name de Neville. The de Neville family had a strong Norman following and a number of branches settled in England after the Norman conquest.

The Dunicliffe surname is spread across the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In England, its concentrations are mainly along the east coast as well as in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

According to historical records, the first occurrence of the surname Dunicliffe was in the 13th century when Ralph de Neyvil was granted the lands of Dunicliffe, located in what is now Norfolk. The name was eventually adopted as a family name by his descendants and spread to surrounding areas.

The Dunicliffe name is still fairly common in England, especially in Norfolk and Suffolk, although its popularity is slowly on the decline. The name is less often found in other countries, but a few scattered individuals can be found in the United States, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia. Looking at today's records, there are still thousands of people with the Dunicliffe surname living in different parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Dunicliffe

The surname Dunicliffe is of Old Norman-French origin and is derived from the Old French given names Dunec (Dun) and Clif (Cliff). Other variants of the surname include Duncliffe, Duncliff, Dunclyf, Duncliffe, Dunkley and Duncklee.

The variant spellings of Dunicliffe are Duncliffe, Duncliff, Dunclyf, Dunkley and Duncklee. This range of variants may be due to errors or misunderstandings occurring in the recording and transcribing of the name.

The MacLysaght Directory of Irish Surnames lists Dunkerly and Dunklee as surnames of the same origin as Dunicliffe. The directory states that these two surnames are the Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Dhunghaile. The nickname ‘dunghaile’ refers to someone from the ‘dark fortress’.

Historically, many surnames were created by adding suffixes to given names including -cliffe, -lee, -ly, -ley, -lyf etc. These suffixes sometimes indicated the name bearer's original place of residence; hence while Dunicliffe could originally denote someone from Dune Cliffe or Dun Cliffe, the two modern surnames of Dunklee and Dunkerly deregistered this origin.

Given the range of surnames of the same origin and the various suffixes that have become associated with them, changing the spelling of the original family generation’s name or creating a new surname was not uncommon, consequently the variants of Dunicliffe are not limited to the examples mentioned here.

Famous people with the name Dunicliffe

• David Duncliffe: Is a professional football player for Doncaster Rovers Football Club.
• Jonathan Duncliffe: Is a former English cricketer who represented Middlesex.
• Kendal Duncliffe: Is a British sprinter and long jumper.
• Richard Duncliffe: Is an Australian former rugby league player who played for several teams in the New South Wales Rugby League.
• Gavin Duncliffe: Is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a right back.
• Mason Duncliffe: Is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse.
• Amber Duncliffe: Is an English actress who appeared in the films Ginger Snaps and The Mummy.
• Louise Duncliffe: Is an Irish actress, best known for her role as Jenny in the Irish drama series Fair City.
• Will Duncliffe: Is an English former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2005.
• Sam Duncliffe: Is an English musician and producer.

Other surnames

Dunicliff