Surname Dunsmore - Meaning and Origin
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Dunsmore: What does the surname Dunsmore mean?
The last name Dunsmore is of Scottish origin, first found in Inverness-shire, where the original epicenter was around the town of the same name. The name is thought to have derived from the Gaelic “Dumn Mor”, which means ‘great hill’, referring to the significant mound found on the town site. It is believed that the Dunsmore clan were part of the Clan Munro, who settled in the lands of the Dunsmore settlement in the 1400’s.
The surname Dunsmore figures today on both sides of the border between Scotland and England, and it is likely that this settled from the northward migration of the Clan Munro which had its roots in Caithness. Many of the Munros were displaced by the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Dunsmore name then spread over to the English and Welsh borders, and is now a well-attested last name in both nations.
Historically, the Dunsmore family were a landed and well-respected social class, with lands inherited from the Munros. The Dunsmores would often intermarry with other local families and build themselves into a powerful and dominate presence in the region. These lands were often in the hands of the Dunsmore family for centuries, making them a powerful influence in the area for a long time.
Today, the surname Dunsmore is still retained by many, representing a strong bond to a long-established regional history. It is likely that those who still bear the Dunsmore name are holding onto rich and colorful history full of stories, struggle, relationships and achievements.
Order DNA origin analysisDunsmore: Where does the name Dunsmore come from?
The last name Dunsmore is a name originating in the United Kingdom and is most commonly found there today. The distribution of the name across the UK reflects the traditional patterns of settlement with the majority being found in central and eastern Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, and the west coast of Wales.
In England it is most commonly found in the Midlands area - particularly in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Derbyshire - with a significant distribution also extending into Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. Across Scotland later medieval migration movements introduced the name to the Lowland parts of the country where it remains popular today.
Northern Ireland has seen the largest concentration of Dunsmore households in recent years, with significant populations also located in London, Glasgow, and Belfast. The name can also be found in Wales though the distribution is comparatively much lower than in other parts of the British Isles.
There is a small prevalence of the name in the United States, Canada, and Australia where it has been brought by those who had migrated from the other parts of the United Kingdom. However, it remains largely an uncommon name with the majority of bearers living in the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Dunsmore
The surname Dunsmore has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include variations such as Dunsmor, Dunsmoor, Dunsmur, Dunsmuir, Donmore, Dunmore, Dounsmure, and Dunsmuir.
The origin of the surname Dunsmore comes from the Languedoc region of southern France, where it was first recorded as “de Donmor.” This name is a French topographic name that denoted someone who lived on a hill or moor. It can also be an anglicized version of the Gaelic “dun mho’r,” which translates to “big fort.”
In Scotland, the surname can be derived from the Pictish language and is believed to mean “town on the moor.” The “-more” of the surname is derived from the Old English word “mor” meaning water-meadow, moorland, or flat land.
In England, the surname first appeared in 1490 in the Wills of Yorkshire, where it was recorded as Dunsmoor. It is also present in early records in Lancashire, where it appears as Dunsmor. It is believed that the first bearer of the surname came from Yorkshire and later migrated to the counties of Durham, Lancashire, and Northumberland.
The earliest records of the surname can also be found in Ireland, where it is believed to have originated from the O’Donmores differing from the Scottish variant, and is also present in early records in Counties Galway, Donegal, Westmeath, Kilkenny, and Antrim.
The surname Dunsmore is present in Scotland, England, Ireland, and France, and is known by a variety of spellings and variants reflecting the different regions from which it originated.
Famous people with the name Dunsmore
- Duncan Dunsmore (19th century cricket player)
- Ryan Dunsmore (contemporary songwriter)
- Stephen Dunsmore (sports broadcaster)
- Bruce Dunsmore (former baseball player)
- Heather Dunsmore (contemporary fiction writer)
- Paul Dunsmore (contemporary actor)
- Carole Dunsmore (retired athlete)
- Alice Dunsmore (contemporary artist)
- Patricia Dunsmore (contemporary actress)
- Sheila Dunsmore (health care research professor)