This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Dunham family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Dunham Family History

Dunham Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the places called Dunham (Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Cheshire). Most are named from Old English dūn ‘hill’ + hām ‘homestead’.

A place in Lincolnshire now known as Dunholme appears in the Domesday Book as Duneham and this too serves as a source of the surname; here the first element is probably the Old English personal name Dunna.

Dunham is often difficult to tell apart from Downham.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dunham family from?

You can see how Dunham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dunham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dunham families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 199 Dunham families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Dunham's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Dunham families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dunham surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Dunham ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Dunham. 39% of Dunham men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Dunham women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dunham were Engineer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Dunham | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    39%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Engineer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    13%
  • Housewife
    13%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    8%

What Dunham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 175,000 census records available for the last name Dunham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dunham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dunham

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Dunham. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dunham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Dunham. For the veterans among your Dunham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dunham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dunham family history

Discover More

What is the average Dunham lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Dunham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Dunham in 1943 was 24, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dunham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dunham ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Dunham family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial