Dun

Dun
This interesting surname, found in England, Scotland and Ireland, has a number of possible origins. Firstly, it may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, from the Olde English pre 7th Century and Middle English "dunn", meaning "dull, brown, dark-coloured", and was a nickname for a man with dark hair or a swarthy complexion. It may also have originated from an unrecorded Middle English survival of an Olde English byname, "Dunna", dark. Secondly, the surname is widespread in Ireland, where it is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'Duinn, Doinn", composed of the Gaelic prefix "O", male descendant of, and the personal name "Duinn, oinn", from "donn", black, brown, a byname given to someone with dark hair or swarthy complexion, as above. In Ireland the name is usually spelt "Dunne", and the sept originated in County Leix and formed one of the principal families of Leinster where their chief was the Lord of Iregan; they were especially mentioned in mid 16th Century documents as hostile and dangerous to the English interest. Those who spelt their name Dunn usually came from Ulster, where they were possibly of Scottish extraction. Finally, in Scotland, the surname also derives from this Celtic origin, but may also be locational from the lands of Dun, Tayside (Angus), which derives from "dun", fort. Early recordings include William Dun (1180, Gloucestershire), John le Dun (1198, Hertfordshire), and Adam de Dun (1255, Scotland). A Coat of Arms granted to a Dunn Family in Bircher, near Leominster, depicts quarterly first and second silver, a gold wolf salient, second and third, black three round gold buckles, tongues downward. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gillananaomh O'Duinn, which was dated 1102, in the "Ancient Irish Records", during the reign of Irish High Kings in Opposition, 1103 - 1169. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • dun — dun·al; dun·bar·ton·shire; dun·can; dun·ci·cal; dun·ci·fy; dun; dun·das·ite; dun·dathu; dun·dee; dun·der·funk; dun·der·head; dun·der·head·ed; dun·der·pate; dun·drear·ies; dun·edin; dun·ga·ree; dun·ga run·ga; dun·ge·ness; dun·ka·doo; dun·ker;… …   English syllables

  • DUN — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres > Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

  • dun — duñ interj. bum, du: Klausau – tik duñ, duñ, duñ dundina į duris Rdm. Girdi ragana su geležiniais klupsčiais stuk stuk stuk, dun dun dun TDrIV223(Kb). Dun dun duñ ratai kieman įdundėjo Š. Dun dun, dun dun [patrankos] dieną ir naktį, kad net… …   Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language

  • Dun —    , DUN HIM    When it comes to the origin of the word dun, most dictionaries play it safe and mark it obscure. They are wise because etymologists have disagreed for years over which of two plausible theories is the right one. According to some… …   Dictionary of eponyms

  • Dun —    DUN, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 4 miles (N. W. by W.) from Montrose; containing 581 inhabitants. This place by some antiquaries is supposed to have derived its name from the family of Dun, who were its ancient proprietors, and by… …   A Topographical dictionary of Scotland

  • Dun — Dun, a. [AS. dunn, of Celtic origin; cf. W. dwn, Ir. & Gael. donn.] Of a dark color; of a color partaking of a brown and black; of a dull brown color; swarthy. [1913 Webster] Summer s dun cloud comes thundering up. Pierpont. [1913 Webster] Chill… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dun — 〈Adj.; nddt.〉 = duhn * * * dun <Adj.> [aus dem Niederd. < mniederd. dun, urspr. = geschwollen] (landsch.): betrunken: d. sein. * * * Dün   der, bewaldeter Muschelkalkhöhenzug im Eichsfeld, Nordwestthüringen, östlich von Heilbad… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Dun — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda No debe confundirse con Dün. Dun País …   Wikipedia Español

  • dunđer — dùnđer (dùnđerin) m DEFINICIJA reg. graditelj, istovremeno drvodjelja, tesar i zidar; cimerman ONOMASTIKA pr. (prema zanimanju): Dùnđer (Slavonski Brod, Banovina, Primorje, Slavonija), Dùnđerović (Dunđérović) (Đakovo, Crikvenica), Dùnger (Dvor,… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Dun — Dun, n. 1. One who duns; a dunner. [1913 Webster] To be pulled by the sleeve by some rascally dun. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 2. An urgent request or demand of payment; as, he sent his debtor a dun. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dun — [dʌn] verb dunned PTandPPX dunning PRESPARTX [transitive] informal old fashioned to demand payment of an unpaid debt: • The IRS dunned the corporation for $6.3 million in back tax and penalties …   Financial and business terms

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