NameCensus.

UK surname

Dennes

An English surname derived from the Old French term "daneys", meaning a meadow or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 159 people recorded with the Dennes surname, ranking it #14,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #14,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newchurch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Hertsmere and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dennes is 202 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.1%.

1881 census count

159

Ranked #14,935

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1861

202 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dennes had 159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 202 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Dennes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dennes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dennes 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 202 #11,906
1881 historical 159 #14,935
1891 historical 152 #18,163
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 88 #29,831
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Dennes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newchurch, London parishes, Godshill and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Hertsmere, Broadland 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Godshill Hampshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 004 North Norfolk
2 Hertsmere 005 Hertsmere
3 Broadland 008 Broadland
4 North Norfolk 014 North Norfolk
5 South Somerset 009 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dennes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dennes

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Dennes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dennes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Dennes is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Dennes 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

Dennes falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dennes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dennes

The surname Dennes is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "dene," meaning a deep valley or hollow. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, referring to those who lived in or near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a William de la Dene is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was initially used as a locational descriptor before evolving into a hereditary surname.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a Walter de la Dene from Wiltshire, indicating the name's prevalence in the southwestern regions of England during the medieval period.

The Dennes surname can be traced back to various place names across England, such as Dene in Hampshire, Denham in Buckinghamshire, and Denby in Derbyshire, among others. These place names likely share a similar etymology, referring to the valleys or hollows in the respective areas.

One notable individual bearing the Dennes surname was John Dennes (c. 1450-1527), a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1499. He was a leading figure in the Worshipful Company of Mercers and played a significant role in the city's governance during the Tudor period.

Another historical figure was Richard Dennes (1593-1653), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for West Looe in Cornwall during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and was imprisoned for his support of King Charles I.

In the 17th century, Edward Dennes (1639-1689) was a notable English divine and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Rochester and Rector of Stourmouth in Kent. He authored several theological works and was recognized for his scholarly contributions.

During the 18th century, Sir John Dennes (1724-1798) was a prominent figure in the British East India Company. He served as the Governor of Bombay from 1784 to 1788 and played a crucial role in the company's operations in India.

Additionally, Sir George Shuckburgh-Evelyn, 6th Baronet (1751-1804), whose mother was Elizabeth Dennes, inherited the Dennes estate in Kent and adopted the surname Dennes as part of his name, further solidifying the family's legacy in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dennes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dennes 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 35 Dennes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.38x.

County Total Index
Sussex 35 13.38x
Middlesex 25 1.61x
Durham 13 2.82x
Norfolk 12 5.03x
Kent 10 1.89x
Hampshire 9 2.83x
Monmouthshire 8 7.14x
Devon 7 2.17x
Somerset 7 2.80x
Buckinghamshire 5 5.33x
Lancashire 3 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.44x
Surrey 3 0.40x
Yorkshire 3 0.20x
Berkshire 2 1.72x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.04x
Essex 2 0.65x
Lincolnshire 2 0.81x
Midlothian 2 0.96x
Cheshire 1 0.29x
Flintshire 1 2.40x
Glamorgan 1 0.37x
Northamptonshire 1 0.69x
Rutland 1 8.78x
Warwickshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 10 Dennes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.96x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 10 44.96x
Hastings St Mary In The 9 161.29x
Llanover 8 208.88x
Scottow 8 3478.26x
Hellingly 7 795.45x
Herstmonceaux 7 886.08x
Heston 7 135.92x
Bedminster 6 25.58x
Dartington 6 1764.71x
Langley Marish 5 434.78x
Lewes St Ann 5 561.80x
Ventnor 5 165.56x
Willingdon 5 757.58x
Upchurch 4 666.67x
Westminster St John 4 21.18x
Ratcliffe London 3 35.01x
Cheetham 2 14.57x
East Hartburn 2 1052.63x
Greenwich 2 8.10x
Kirkby In Ashfield 2 89.29x
Lambourne 2 444.44x
Norwich St Clement 2 72.46x
South Leith 2 8.55x
St Marylebone London 2 2.42x
Thatcham 2 111.73x
All Saints Cambridge 1 144.93x
Ancaster 1 285.71x
Baddesley Ensor 1 200.00x
Bexley 1 21.37x
Bridgewater 1 14.75x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 75.76x
Didsbury 1 40.98x
Eastbourne 1 8.31x
Eastry 1 136.99x
Ecclesfield 1 8.87x
Farnham 1 17.01x
Flint 1 42.19x
Fulham London 1 4.45x
Godshill 1 136.99x
Gretton 1 227.27x
Hackney London 1 1.15x
Hartlepool 1 15.24x
Holdenhurst 1 11.99x
Islington London 1 0.67x
Kensington London 1 1.16x
Lingfield 1 68.03x
Luddenham 1 769.23x
Macclesfield 1 6.57x
Mareham Le Fen 1 256.41x
Middlesbrough 1 5.00x
Newport 1 58.14x
North Luffenham 1 434.78x
Northwood 1 22.08x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 1 370.37x
Nottingham St Peter 1 42.92x
Paddington London 1 1.75x
Rochester St Margaret 1 17.92x
Saham Toney 1 156.25x
Selmeston 1 1000.00x
Shadwell London 1 23.04x
Sheriff Hutton W 1 227.27x
St Andrewthe Great 1 78.74x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.66x
St Pancras London 1 0.80x
Sunbury 1 53.76x
Swansea Town 1 4.52x
Wandsworth 1 6.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 5
Jane 5
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Sarah 3
Caroline 2
Harriet 2
Rachel 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Annaley 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Carry 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Diana 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Isabella 1
Lavania 1
Lillian 1
Lillie 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Mercy 1
Mildred 1
Millicent 1
Nellie 1
Patty 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
George 10
John 10
Harry 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Henery 2
James 2
Richard 2
Anna 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.Porter 1
Gaius 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J.T. 1
Nelson 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Ponsford 1
Porter 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Dennes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dennes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 159 people were recorded with the Dennes surname. That placed it at #14,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dennes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Dennes a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Dennes surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French term "daneys", meaning a meadow or pasture.

What does the Dennes map show?

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