Bunyan is a surname of English origin, derived from the Middle English word 'bune', meaning 'bee'. It was originally an occupational name for a beekeeper. The name Bunyan may also have been given as a nickname to someone considered industrious like a bee, or perhaps it could have been a topographical name for someone who lived near a settlement called with this name. The surname Bunyan is mostly found in England, particularly in the East Midlands region. It has been established since the 13th century and can be traced back through several generations of families in English history.
The name Bunyan experienced fluctuating popularity between 1913 and 1962, with peaks in the late teens to early twenties and again in the mid-thirties, followed by a significant decline.