Surname Dunkeld - Meaning and Origin

Dunkeld: What does the surname Dunkeld mean?

The last name Dunkeld is believed to have originated from the town of Dunkeld in eastern Scotland, located near the banks of the River Tay in Perthshire. The town was named after King Causantin who died there in 865 AD.

The name Dunkeld is derived from the Gaelic phrase meaning ‘fort of the stronghold’, referring to the fortifications that once protected the area.

Traditionally, the name Dunkeld was used by families who were descendants of the local people who lived in the area surrounding the town. Over time, the name has also been adopted by families who moved away from the area but who still wished to maintain their connection with this part of Scotland.

Dunkeld families may be proud of their Scottish roots and may still keep traditions and customs associated with the old Dunkeld area. This may include the use of local foods, music and language as well as other cultural expressions.

Those proud of the Dunkeld name may also have roots in the military. In 1689, the earthen defenses around Dunkeld were the site of an important battle during the disturbance of 1689. The Battle of Killiecrankie, with an estimated 21,000 soldiers, was the first major battle in the Jacobite rising of 1689 and had a profound effect on the history of Scotland.

For those whose families bear the Dunkeld name, they can take great pride in the history of the area that has been associated with their family name.

Dunkeld: Where does the name Dunkeld come from?

The last name Dunkeld is a Scottish surname and is most commonly found today in Scotland. Due to the migration of Scottish people over the centuries, Dunkeld can also be found in areas of the United States and Canada that have a Scottish immigrant history. A popular immigration path for Scots was to follow the 19th century Highland Clearances, which saw many poor rural Highlanders expelled from ancestral lands and forced to seek new lives overseas. As a result, many Dunkel clans can be found in the Scottish diaspora, particularly in the United States and Canada.

In Scotland specifically, the surname is more heavily concentrated in the northern and central parts of the country, including Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Perthshire. This reflects the historic locations of Clan Dunkeld, which is an armigerous clan in Scotland and is among the most prominent of Scotland’s Highland Clans. The principal lands of the clan have been in Strathearn (close to Dunkeld) and in Angus, which is around 30 miles from Aberdeen.

Today, as a result of the concentrations of families, the surname Dunkeld remains fairly common in Scotland and those areas with significant Scottish heritage in the United States and Canada.

Variations of the surname Dunkeld

The surname Dunkeld has a long history in Europe. The most common spellings of the name are Dunkeld, Dunkeldt, Dunkild, Dunkildt, and Donkald. It is believed to be derived from an old Scottish place name that comes from the Gaelic dùn Chailleann, which means “fort of the Cailleach”.

The surname Dunkeld appears to have originated in the city of Dunkeld, located in what is now Perth and Kinross, Scotland. In Scotland, the name is most numerous in the Highlands and Islands.

Variants of the surname Dunkeld include Dunkilt, Doonkeld, Doonkeldt, Dunkild, Dunkildt, Doonkilt, Doncaild, Dunkelt, and Donkald. It is also found in other parts of Europe, such as Germany, where it is spelled Dünkeld or Dunnecken.

The sentence Dunkeld is also used as a given name, with Dougald, Donneld, Dunchald, or Doneld as a variant spelling.

The Dunkeld surname is also found in the United States, Canada, and Australia, as many Scots immigrated to these countries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the United States, the name has been Anglicized to Donkle or Dunkel.

The surname-derived Dunkeld is also used as an adjectival form, with Dunkeldian being one of the most common uses. This form is often used to describe certain historical artifacts, such as documents and manuscripts, that originated in the area around Dunkeld, Scotland.

Famous people with the name Dunkeld

• John of Dunkeld: the first man to become King of the Kingdom of Scotland in the early 900s.
• Alexander of Dunkeld: the first Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Scotland in the early 1000s.
• Esther Kerr Dunkeld: the first woman to be granted a degree in the Faculty of Arts from the University of Edinburgh in 1830.
• Patrick Dunkeld: the Scottish solicitor-general who played a prominent role in facilitating the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England in 1707.
• David Dunkeld: the 19th-century Scottish philosopher, theologian, and historian who wrote prolifically on philosophy and theology.
• Walter of Dunkeld: the subject of two of the earliest Scottish ballads, Sir Patrick Spens and Sir Patrick Wedderburn's Confession.
• William Dunkeld: the subject of the 16th-century lamentation "Lament of William of Dunkeld".
• Catherine Dunkeld: the prioress of the Poor Clares of Perth and founder of the convent of St. Mary's in Perth.
• Andrew Dunkeld: the 16th-century courtier and diplomat who served under Mary Queen of Scots.
• Frances Dunkeld: the 17th century Scottish court painter to George I, who painted portraits of James I, Charles I, and Charles II.

Other surnames

DunkelDunkelinDunkell