NameCensus.

UK surname

Denman

An English occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked in a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 1,347 people recorded with the Denman surname, ranking it #3,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,881, ranked #3,379, down from #3,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Doncaster and Crawley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denman is 2,120 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.6%.

1881 census count

1,347

Ranked #3,040

Modern count

1,881

2016, ranked #3,379

Peak year

1999

2,120 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denman had 1,347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,881 in 2016, ranked #3,379.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,007 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Denman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denman 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 925 #2,986
1861 historical 828 #3,329
1881 historical 1,347 #3,040
1891 historical 1,539 #2,865
1901 historical 1,897 #2,786
1911 historical 2,007 #2,479
1997 modern 2,052 #2,994
1998 modern 2,104 #3,033
1999 modern 2,120 #3,036
2000 modern 2,096 #3,051
2001 modern 2,048 #3,048
2002 modern 2,070 #3,084
2003 modern 2,060 #3,044
2004 modern 2,035 #3,071
2005 modern 1,961 #3,142
2006 modern 1,959 #3,151
2007 modern 1,983 #3,147
2008 modern 1,960 #3,192
2009 modern 1,981 #3,232
2010 modern 2,011 #3,256
2011 modern 1,975 #3,265
2012 modern 1,899 #3,325
2013 modern 1,943 #3,317
2014 modern 1,948 #3,330
2015 modern 1,899 #3,365
2016 modern 1,881 #3,379

Geography

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Where Denmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Doncaster, Crawley, Horsham and Amber Valley. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
2 Doncaster 009 Doncaster
3 Crawley 003 Crawley
4 Horsham 010 Horsham
5 Amber Valley 017 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denman

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Denman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Denman 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Denman is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Denman is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Denman falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Denman 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 Denman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Denman

The surname DENMAN originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from places called Denham or Denholme in various counties across England. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "denu" meaning a valley and "ham" meaning a homestead or settlement.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Denham". This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, a DENMAN named William was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1196. Another early bearer of the name was John DENMAN, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1221.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also associated with places like Denham in Buckinghamshire and Denholme in Yorkshire. The spellings "Denham" and "Denholme" were sometimes used interchangeably with DENMAN in historical records from this period.

A notable figure in the history of the DENMAN name was Sir John DENMAN (1615-1639), who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in Somerset during the English Civil War. Another prominent DENMAN was Thomas DENMAN (1779-1854), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1832 to 1850.

Other historical figures with the surname DENMAN include William DENMAN (1784-1870), an English chemist and philosopher; Richard DENMAN (1776-1857), a British naval officer; and Joseph DENMAN (1779-1833), an English surgeon and medical writer.

Throughout its history, the DENMAN name has remained strongly associated with its English roots and has been carried to various parts of the world by migration and settlement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denman 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. Sussex leads with 256 Denmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.67x.

County Total Index
Sussex 256 11.67x
Middlesex 189 1.45x
Somerset 138 6.59x
Surrey 120 1.89x
Nottinghamshire 112 6.39x
Yorkshire 105 0.81x
Kent 51 1.15x
Flintshire 47 13.44x
Lancashire 41 0.27x
Essex 39 1.52x
Derbyshire 36 1.77x
Lincolnshire 27 1.30x
Gloucestershire 23 0.90x
Leicestershire 19 1.32x
Dorset 17 1.99x
Hertfordshire 12 1.34x
Staffordshire 11 0.25x
Cheshire 10 0.35x
Caernarfonshire 9 1.71x
Northumberland 9 0.46x
Warwickshire 8 0.24x
Denbighshire 7 1.42x
Berkshire 6 0.61x
Glamorgan 6 0.26x
Hampshire 6 0.22x
Merionethshire 6 2.52x
Channel Islands 5 1.30x
Durham 4 0.10x
Suffolk 3 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.25x
Devon 2 0.07x
Monmouthshire 2 0.21x
Royal Navy 2 1.29x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Worth in Sussex leads with 57 Denmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 357.82x.

Place Total Index
Worth 57 357.82x
Nottingham St Mary 51 11.24x
St Pancras London 35 3.34x
Islington London 24 1.90x
Ifield 23 251.37x
Crawley 22 1094.53x
Hackney London 22 3.02x
Brighton 21 4.74x
North Curry 20 280.50x
West Ham 20 3.53x
St Marylebone London 19 2.73x
Yeovil 17 39.94x
Newington 16 3.33x
Shoreditch London 16 2.84x
East Retford 15 98.55x
Halkin 15 244.70x
Camberwell 14 1.68x
Doncaster 14 14.86x
Horsham 14 32.85x
Melcombe Regis 14 39.56x
Brightside Bierlow 13 5.14x
Kensington London 13 1.80x
Preston 13 33.93x
Richmond 13 14.63x
Melton Mowbray 12 46.26x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 4.58x
Bridgewater 10 17.59x
Chesterfield 10 13.09x
Liverpool 10 1.07x
Maidstone 10 7.56x
Sculcoates 10 4.89x
Shepton Mallet 10 42.55x
Taunton St Mary 10 26.01x
Wortley In Bramley 10 9.79x
Derby St Peter 9 13.87x
Edenbridge 9 103.33x
Elswick 9 5.82x
Lopen 9 569.62x
New Shoreham 9 68.44x
Petersham 9 358.57x
Barnsley 8 6.01x
Charlwood 8 131.58x
Cowfold 8 172.41x
Croydon 8 2.27x
Deptford St Paul 8 2.34x
Ilminster 8 54.68x
Lambeth 8 0.71x
Toxteth Park 8 1.53x
Billingshurst 7 97.49x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 5.71x
Cwm 7 376.34x
Derby St Werburgh 7 5.95x
Flint 7 35.25x
Gamston 7 625.00x
Hasland 7 33.75x
Heeley 7 17.86x
Lewes St Ann 7 93.71x
Lexden 7 67.90x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 12.76x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.53x
South Petherton 7 64.70x
Streatham 7 7.25x
Sutton Stoneferry 7 18.97x
Washington 7 186.17x
Wisborough Green 7 94.98x
Birkenhead 6 2.62x
Caerwys 6 167.13x
Clarborough 6 45.73x
Cocking 6 233.46x
East Hoathly 6 157.07x
East Markham 6 179.10x
Eastergate 6 833.33x
Great Glenn 6 156.66x
Harthill Cum Woodall 6 121.46x
Kenilworth 6 32.43x
Keymer 6 38.73x
Llandanwg 6 131.87x
Rampton 6 375.00x
Torksey 6 845.07x
White Lackington 6 472.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 87
John 71
George 52
Thomas 46
Charles 44
Henry 32
James 25
Edward 21
Joseph 19
Frederick 18
Albert 17
Alfred 16
Arthur 15
Robert 13
Frank 11
Herbert 10
Ernest 9
Walter 8
David 7
Edwin 7
Francis 7
Richard 7
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Harry 3
Horace 3
Isaac 3
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Denis 2
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Infant 2
Jonah 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Levi 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Bertram 1
Edw. 1
Emma 1

FAQ

Denman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,347 people were recorded with the Denman surname. That placed it at #3,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,881 in 2016. That gives Denman a modern rank of #3,379.

What does the Denman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked in a valley.

What does the Denman map show?

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