Surname Dunnicliff - Meaning and Origin

Dunnicliff: What does the surname Dunnicliff mean?

The surname Dunnicliff is an English origin name derived from the combination of two geographical names. The first part of the surname comes from the Old English personal (first) name Duna, which was a short form of names beginning with the element dun meaning “hill,” while the second is derived from the Old English Celtic clif for “cliff.”

Thus, the literal meaning of the surname Dunnicliff is "The cliff of the hill." This is likely a reference to someone or their family who resided near or on the top of a hill with a nearby cliff. Alternatively, the Dunnicliff surname could refer to a person or family related to the geographical area surrounding the hill and cliff.

The surname Dunnicliff is still found throughout the British Isles, particularly England, Scotland, and Wales. Variations on the surname include Dunnecliff and Dunneclift. Bearers of the surname can trace their family origins back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes who once inhabited the British Isles.

Aside from being a geographical surname, Dunnicliff has likely enjoyed periodic waves of popularity as a given name, possibly beginning in the 19th or early 20th century. It has been common historically for geographical names to migrate from surname to given name for families not necessarily related to a place of origin with the same name.

Dunnicliff: Where does the name Dunnicliff come from?

The last name Dunnicliff is of English origin, but today is most commonly found in countries with historically large English populations, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In the United States, Dunnicliff is most concentrated in the states of California, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania, with a smaller presence in New York and North Carolina.

In the United Kingdom, Dunnicliff is a relatively rare name. It doesn't appear in the top 1000 most common surnames and is mainly found in the English counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, and North Yorkshire.

In Australia, the name is slightly more common, but still relatively rare. It can be found scattered throughout the eastern states, especially in Victoria, though it is also present in Western Australia and South Australia.

New Zealand also houses some Dunnicliff families. The name is most common in the northern parts of the North Island, with a handful in other parts of the country.

In South Africa, the Dunnicliff surname first spread from England in the late 1800s. It was taken over primarily by English settlers, and today is concentrated in the Free State, Kwazulu Natal, and Gauteng provinces.

Variations of the surname Dunnicliff

The surname Dunnicliff is most likely a variation of an English, Irish, and Scottish surname. Dunnicliff can also be spelled Dunnacliff, Dunacliff, Donacliff, Dunnecliffe, Donecliffe, Duncliffe, Donncliff, and Donnacliff.

The name Dunnicliff is derived from a variety of places and meanings. In English, the name may be from an area called Dunclive, a location or a manor of the same name. Dunclive was possibly derived either from Old English dun (hill) with clif (slope, cliff). In Ireland, the surname may have originated as Donncrafft, which is an Anglicization of the Gaelic name O' Donnchruaidh, which means descendant of Donnchruaid (Duncan) or "brown warlike”.

In Scotland, Duncliffe or Dewinclive originated as the result of a location in the parish of Kirkmahoe in the county of Dumfriesshire. The parish name means “church dedicated to St. Mahog” and the place name may have been derived from Scots dun (fort) and clyf (cliff).

Another alternate spelling of the name is Dunnecliffe which may be derived from any of the places listed above as well as the English places found in Cheshire and West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Dunnecliffe is derived from an Old English dun with eg (island) and clif (cliff), meaning "cliff-island”.

In conclusion, the surname Dunnicliff may have originated from any of the places mentioned above and each version has its own meaning. It can have multiple spellings and spellings of its variations, including Dunnacliff, Dunacliff, Donacliff, Dunnecliffe, Donecliffe, Duncliffe, Donncliff, and Donnacliff.

Famous people with the name Dunnicliff

• Rory Dunnicliff, AFL player
• Stephen Dunnicliff, author and journalist
• Martin Dunnicliff, Australian cricketer
• Abby Dunnicliff, professional soccer player
• Jasmine Dunnicliff, professional dancer
• Nick Dunnicliff, guitarist and composer
• Sabeen Dunnicliff, actor and voiceover artist
• Richard Dunnicliff, British actor and director
• Karl Dunnicliff, Australian visual artist
• Isabella Dunnicliff, singer-songwriter

Other surnames

Dunnicliffe