Dunbar Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Dunbar last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Dunbar coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Dunbar last name
Meaning of the Dunbar last name: fort on the summit. Dunbar is a Scottish surname from the town of Dunbar in East Lothian, from Gaelic dùn, "fort", and barr, "summit". The last name grew strong in Moray and the Lowlands, and later in Ulster. Curiously, Dunbar gave its name to two famous battles, in 1296 and in 1650, when Cromwell defeated the Scots.
Arms associated with the Dunbar name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Dunbar name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Dunbar family history
This is only a glimpse of the Dunbar story. The full Dunbar history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Dunbar coat of arms. Get the full Dunbar report.
Dunbar name FAQ
What does the Dunbar name mean?
Fort on the summit. Common variants include Dunbarr.
Where does the Dunbar surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in Northern Ireland, the United States and Canada.
Is there a Dunbar coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Dunbar coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).