Dunn is a surname of English and Scottish origins. It has several different origins. Typically the origin of the surname Dunn is from the Middle English dunn, meaning "dark-coloured"; this name originated as a nickname for one with dark hair. Another origin is from a habitative name, derived from Dun in Angus, Scotland; this place name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic dùn, meaning "fort". Another origin is from the Gaelic donn, meaning "brown".[1][2]

Dunn
Origin
MeaningMiddle English word meaning "dark", or Scottish for an inhabitant of Dun, Angus
Region of originEngland, Scotland
Other names
Variant form(s)Dun, Dunne, Doune, Donne

Notable people with the surname

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Fictional characters

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  • Dan Dunn, titular secret agent from the 1930s series
  • Danny Dunn, a character in the many book series
  • Paul Dunn, a character in the 1985 American satirical road comedy movie Lost in America

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Learn about the family history of your surname, Ancestry.com, retrieved 3 January 2011, which cited: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4, for the surname "Dunn".
  2. ^ Harrison, Henry (1969). Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-8063-0171-6.