House of Dunbar (ePub)

Do you know what your last name means? How did you get your last name? Where did your ancestors originate? Do you have any connections to royalty in your family history? Did your ancestors make any contributions to history? I thought about all of those questions, and went looking for the answers related to my Dunbar family name. I discovered that 'Dunbar' meant 'fort on a hill' in the old Gaelic language of Scotland. This name was given to Dunbar Castle, as well as the adjacent town of Dunbar, in southeast Scotland. The owners of Dunbar Castle in the 11th to 15th centuries were Scottish nobles known as the Earls of Dunbar because the name identified the location of their land holdings. By about 1300 in the Middle Ages, surnames were adopted to distinguish individuals within the growing population. The families of the Earls of Dunbar adopted the surname of Dunbar. Most of the Dunbars in the world got their name handed-down from these ancient Earls of Dunbar and the location of Dunbar Castle and Dunbar town. Those with the Dunbar surname should read this story to explore where they fit in the House of Dunbar. Those interested in Scottish history will get an overview plus a description of the role of the Earls of Dunbar in that history. There were many noble families in Scotland, but the Dunbar story is unique due to the rise of the earls to the highest levels of power, and their fall from power, never to be regained. Those with other Scottish names and ancestry may be encouraged to explore their own family history to find their connections to famous people and places in Scottish history.