Dunaway
An English and Scottish surname most likely built from a place-name meaning “hill/fort by the way” or from a similar local landmark name.
The #3,320 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 28,593 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Dunaway is usually treated as a locational surname, probably from a lost or altered place-name rather than a simple descriptive word. The first element is likely Old English or Gaelic dun, meaning “hill,” “fort,” or “hillfort,” while the second element may reflect a roadway or path element such as away/way, or a related local-name ending that has been reshaped over time. Because the surname appears in several spelling traditions, its exact origin is not certain and may not have a single source in every family line.
History
The name is best known in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where it became established through migration from Britain. Like many locational surnames, it likely began as a way to identify someone who came from a particular place or from a home near a notable hill or route. The modern form may also reflect later spelling changes in America, where several related variants became fixed in records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is uncommon enough that many modern bearers may share a single ancestral line, though that can only be proved with genealogical records rather than the name alone.