NameCensus.

UK surname

Denis

A French surname derived from the given name Denis, which comes from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Denis surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, up from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Llanedy, St Leonard Shoreditch and East Meon (incl. Westbury & Peak). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hammersmith and Fulham, Broadland and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denis is 417 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 152.7%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

2016

417 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denis had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 332 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Denis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denis 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 168 #11,873
1861 historical 332 #7,673
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 153 #17,844
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 225 #16,352
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 231 #16,365
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 258 #15,293
2004 modern 275 #14,717
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 290 #14,202
2007 modern 298 #14,103
2008 modern 304 #14,000
2009 modern 315 #13,960
2010 modern 338 #13,550
2011 modern 345 #13,221
2012 modern 376 #12,262
2013 modern 404 #11,833
2014 modern 405 #11,880
2015 modern 402 #11,861
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

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Where Denis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Llanedy, St Leonard Shoreditch, East Meon (incl. Westbury & Peak), London parishes and Barton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hammersmith and Fulham, Broadland, Walsall, Southend-on-Sea and Doncaster. 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 Llanedy Carmarthenshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 East Meon (incl. Westbury & Peak) Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Barton Westmorland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hammersmith and Fulham 001 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Broadland 001 Broadland
3 Walsall 001 Walsall
4 Southend-on-Sea 015 Southend-on-Sea
5 Doncaster 020 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denis

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Denis, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Denis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Denis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Denis is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Denis is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Denis falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Denis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Denis

The surname Denis is of French origin, and it can be traced back to the Norman language of medieval times. The name is derived from the Latin name "Dionysius," which itself is derived from the Greek name "Dionysios," meaning "devoted to Dionysus," the Greek god of wine and revelry.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Denis can be found in medieval records from Normandy, France, dating back to the 11th century. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Calvados and Orne, where it is believed to have originated as a nickname or a descriptive name.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Denis or variants such as Denys or Dennys. This suggests that the name had already traveled to England with the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Denis was Robert Denis, a Norman knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under Richard the Lionheart. Another notable figure was Gilles Denis, a French mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1598 to 1672 and made significant contributions to the development of calculus.

In England, Sir Thomas Denys (1504-1561) was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry from Devon. His family is believed to have descended from the Norman settlers who arrived with William the Conqueror. Sir Walter Denys (1615-1694) was another notable English figure with the surname, serving as a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire.

The surname Denis also has a strong presence in the history of France. Jean Denis (1598-1672) was a French Jesuit missionary who traveled to Canada and worked with the Huron and Iroquois nations. Jacques Denis (1643-1704) was a French sculptor and architect who worked on several major projects, including the Château de Versailles.

In more recent times, the surname Denis has been associated with several notable individuals, including Maurice Denis (1870-1943), a French painter and founding member of the Nabis group of artists, and Jacques Denis (1920-2009), a French composer and conductor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denis 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. Middlesex leads with 32 Denis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 32 1.80x
Channel Islands 18 34.21x
Devon 14 3.79x
Glamorgan 14 4.53x
Hampshire 12 3.30x
Yorkshire 12 0.68x
Derbyshire 9 3.24x
Carmarthenshire 7 9.36x
Westmorland 7 17.94x
Flintshire 6 12.57x
Surrey 6 0.69x
Staffordshire 5 0.83x
Warwickshire 5 1.12x
Cornwall 4 1.99x
Essex 4 1.14x
Hertfordshire 4 3.27x
Lancashire 4 0.19x
Monmouthshire 3 2.34x
Angus 2 1.22x
Berkshire 2 1.50x
Kent 2 0.33x
Lincolnshire 2 0.70x
Sussex 2 0.67x
Brecknockshire 1 2.82x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.89x
Cheshire 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.51x
Norfolk 1 0.37x
Radnorshire 1 6.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 11 Denis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.29x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 11 14.29x
Swansea Town 9 35.52x
Llanedy 7 496.45x
Patterdale 7 1627.91x
St John 7 700.00x
Barnsley 6 33.06x
Catherington 6 750.00x
Clowne 6 545.45x
Ilfracombe 6 157.89x
Beerferris 5 694.44x
Hammerwich 5 588.24x
St Clement 5 625.00x
Whitford 5 202.43x
Birmingham 4 2.68x
Gilston 4 2352.94x
Kensington London 4 4.05x
Kenwyn 4 76.05x
St Pancras London 4 2.80x
East Ham 3 46.15x
Neath 3 47.69x
St George Hanover Square 3 9.59x
St Lawrence 3 208.33x
St Woollos 3 20.95x
Aldershot 2 16.41x
Compton 2 800.00x
Liverpool 2 1.56x
Monifieth 2 34.42x
Osmotherley 2 357.14x
South Normanton 2 102.56x
Southampton All Sts 2 32.05x
Sparsholt 2 740.74x
St Mary Kalendar 2 263.16x
Caterham 1 26.18x
Chester St Mary On Hill 1 29.76x
Clapham 1 4.51x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.39x
Dagenham 1 47.85x
Derby St Peter 1 11.30x
Dorking 1 17.21x
Ealing 1 6.30x
East Stonehouse 1 13.74x
Eastbourne 1 7.26x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.79x
Gladestry 1 476.19x
Gosberton 1 79.37x
Greenwich 1 3.54x
Grouville 1 68.03x
Hammersmith London 1 2.29x
Haverah Park 1 2500.00x
Heigham 1 6.83x
Holywell 1 16.69x
Kidbrooke 1 294.12x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.29x
Limehouse London 1 5.13x
Llywel 1 129.87x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 3.37x
Mortlake 1 25.91x
Newhaven 1 41.15x
North Duffield 1 434.78x
Rixton With Glazebrook 1 185.19x
Rotherhithe 1 4.56x
Samlesbury 1 217.39x
Sark 1 285.71x
Sheffield 1 1.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.80x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 13.00x
St Bride London 1 97.09x
St George Bloomsbury 1 9.81x
St Luke London 1 3.51x
St Martin 1 31.06x
St Marylebone London 1 1.06x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 25.06x
St Swithin London Stone 1 2000.00x
Stetchworth 1 270.27x
Stoneleigh 1 135.14x
Swansea 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 7
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
(Mrs) 2
Annie 2
Emma 2
Hariett 2
Jane 2
Lavenia 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizath. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Eugine 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Hilda 1
Honorine 1
Julia 1
Leontine 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Marey 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Marth. 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Sarh 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Victoire 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 13
George 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Christopher 3
David 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Walter 2
Adreis 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Claude 1
Denis 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Emille 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Guillaume 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hogan 1
Mathurin 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Pierre 1
Price 1
Richard 1
Sam. 1
Samuel 1
Sylvestre 1
Thos. 1
Thos.William 1
Timothy 1
W.Jones 1
Willam 1
Yves 1

FAQ

Denis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Denis surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Denis a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Denis surname mean?

A French surname derived from the given name Denis, which comes from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine.

What does the Denis map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Denis 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.