Dundes

Dundes is a surname. It is best known in public references through American folklorist Alan Dundes (1930–2005), a professor of folklore at the University of California, Berkeley. Dundes was a leading figure in modern folklore studies, recognized for applying structuralist, psychoanalytic, and interdisciplinary approaches to the analysis of myths, legends, jokes, and other folk narratives. His work helped establish folklore as a rigorous academic discipline and influenced generations of scholars.

Throughout his career, Dundes published extensively on a wide range of topics in folklore, contributing to theoretical development and methodological debates within the field. He played a significant role in shaping the study of folk narrative and cultural symbolism, and his writings are frequently cited in both historical and contemporary folklore research. His influence extends to how scholars approach the interpretation of traditional material in light of psychological and social contexts.

The surname Dundes is relatively uncommon in public records, and there is limited published information about its origin or geographic distribution in general reference sources. Outside of academic references to Alan Dundes, the name appears primarily in genealogical contexts and in bibliographies related to folklore studies. In summary, Dundes denotes a real-world family name with notable association to Alan Dundes, whose scholarly contributions remain a central reference point in the field of folklore.