NameCensus.

UK surname

Dening

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "denu" meaning a valley or dell.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Dening surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chard, Toxteth Park and Margate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Thanet and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dening is 167 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

1911

167 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dening had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 167 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dening surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dening surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dening surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dening over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 150 #12,905
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 167 #16,692
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

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Where Denings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chard, Toxteth Park, Margate, Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset) and Crewkerne, Wayford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Thanet and South Somerset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Chard Somerset
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Margate Kent
4 Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset) Devon
5 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 007 North Devon
2 Thanet 009 Thanet
3 South Somerset 006 South Somerset
4 Thanet 010 Thanet
5 South Somerset 020 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dening

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dening surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dening

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dening, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dening surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dening household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Dening is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dening is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dening falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dening is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dening, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dening

The surname DENING is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "denu" or "dene," which means a valley or a hollow. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived in or near a valley or a low-lying area.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing variations such as "de la Dene" and "atte Dene." These early spellings indicate that the name was initially a locative surname, referring to a person's place of residence or origin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DENING surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dated 1327. In these records, a certain Richard de la Dene is listed as a taxpayer in the county.

During the 14th century, the surname underwent further changes in spelling, with variations like "Denyng" and "Denynge" appearing in various historical documents. This was a common occurrence during that time, as spellings were often influenced by regional dialects and the personal preferences of scribes.

In the 15th century, the DENING surname is documented in the Court Rolls of Wakefield, Yorkshire. A William Denyng is recorded as holding land in the area around 1440.

One notable bearer of the DENING surname was John Dening, a 16th-century English clergyman and theologian. Born in 1509, he was a prominent figure in the Anglican church and served as the Archdeacon of Rochester from 1557 until his death in 1581.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Dening, a 17th-century English landowner and member of the gentry. He was born in 1625 and owned estates in Berkshire, where he lived until his passing in 1702.

In the 18th century, the DENING surname gained further prominence with the birth of James Dening (1738-1814), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

During the 19th century, the DENING surname was carried by William Dening (1801-1879), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Paddington.

Another notable figure was Sir Henry Dening (1865-1945), a British judge and legal scholar who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal and played a significant role in shaping English contract law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dening families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dening surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 30 Denings recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.92x.

County Total Index
Somerset 30 18.92x
Dorset 18 27.84x
Devon 9 4.39x
Glamorgan 8 4.66x
Isle of Man 6 32.80x
Channel Islands 5 17.13x
Cheshire 5 2.30x
Gloucestershire 4 2.07x
Herefordshire 4 9.90x
Middlesex 4 0.41x
Essex 2 1.03x
Derbyshire 1 0.65x
Hampshire 1 0.50x
Leicestershire 1 0.92x
Staffordshire 1 0.30x
Suffolk 1 0.83x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chardstock in Dorset leads with 11 Denings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2444.44x.

Place Total Index
Chardstock 11 2444.44x
Combe St Nicholas 9 2368.42x
Penarth 8 476.19x
Chard 7 364.58x
German 6 600.00x
Trull 6 1875.00x
St Peter Port 5 92.59x
Wambrook 5 5555.56x
Madley 4 1428.57x
Ottery St Mary 4 296.30x
Stow On The Wold 4 930.23x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 4 206.19x
Honiton 3 265.49x
Weston Zoyland 3 1304.35x
Corfe 2 1538.46x
Kensington London 2 3.65x
Lyme Regis 2 259.74x
Paddington London 2 5.52x
Pitminster 2 425.53x
South Weald 2 119.76x
Belstone 1 2000.00x
Cheadle 1 62.50x
Derby St Michael 1 312.50x
Exminster 1 135.14x
Gildersome 1 85.47x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.76x
Norbury 1 196.08x
Seavington St Mary 1 1000.00x
Southampton St Mary 1 7.87x
Walsham Le Willows 1 250.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dening surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dening surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Dening surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dening surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Dening surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dening surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Dening a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Dening surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from the Old English word "denu" meaning a valley or dell.

What does the Dening map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dening bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.