The invention provides an aqueous colorant dispersion having: a colorant (A); a polymer (B); and an aqueous liquid medium (I), a method of producing the dispersion, and an aqueous ink for inkjet recording using the dispersion. The polymer (B) is a copolymer containing a hydrophilic structural unit and a hydrophobic structural unit. The hydrophobic structural unit contains a hydrophobic structural unit (a) containing a benzene ring which is not directly bonded to an atom that forms a main chain of the polymer (B). The hydrophilic structural unit contains a hydrophilic structural unit (b) containing an ionic group. The polymer (B) contains a structural unit (c) different from the hydrophobic structural unit (a) and the hydrophilic structural unit (b). A content of the hydrophobic structural unit and a content of the structural unit (c) with respect to a total mass of the polymer (B) are respectively in specific ranges.