NameCensus.

UK surname

Denning

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the people of the valley."

In the 1881 census there were 1,148 people recorded with the Denning surname, ranking it #3,485 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,898, ranked #3,349, up from #3,485 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Chard and Radstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, East Devon and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denning is 1,956 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

1,148

Ranked #3,485

Modern count

1,898

2016, ranked #3,349

Peak year

1999

1,956 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denning had 1,148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,485 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,898 in 2016, ranked #3,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,600 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Denning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denning 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 687 #3,787
1861 historical 595 #4,454
1881 historical 1,148 #3,485
1891 historical 1,341 #3,250
1901 historical 1,484 #3,449
1911 historical 1,600 #3,040
1997 modern 1,848 #3,257
1998 modern 1,941 #3,231
1999 modern 1,956 #3,233
2000 modern 1,951 #3,227
2001 modern 1,876 #3,278
2002 modern 1,936 #3,259
2003 modern 1,881 #3,266
2004 modern 1,863 #3,289
2005 modern 1,814 #3,350
2006 modern 1,812 #3,353
2007 modern 1,844 #3,325
2008 modern 1,892 #3,287
2009 modern 1,922 #3,312
2010 modern 1,939 #3,362
2011 modern 1,941 #3,326
2012 modern 1,888 #3,343
2013 modern 1,925 #3,341
2014 modern 1,914 #3,376
2015 modern 1,898 #3,368
2016 modern 1,898 #3,349

Geography

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Where Dennings are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, East Devon and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Chard Somerset
3 Radstock Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Berkeley Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset
2 East Devon 009 East Devon
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 012 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Bath and North East Somerset 024 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Bath and North East Somerset 026 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denning

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Denning, 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 Denning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Denning 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Denning is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Denning 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

Denning 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 Denning 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 Denning, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Denning

The surname Denning is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'denu,' meaning a valley or a hollow. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or in a valley or a hollow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Denning can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de Dening.' This suggests that the name was already in use by the 11th century, and it may have been associated with a particular place or settlement.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as 'Dening' and 'Denynge,' indicating variations in spelling over time. These early forms of the name are thought to have derived from place names such as Dening in Sussex and Denning in Kent, which both referred to locations situated in valleys or hollows.

One notable bearer of the Denning surname was Sir John Denning (1914-1999), a highly respected English lawyer and judge who served as the Master of the Rolls from 1962 to 1982. He was known for his progressive and influential legal decisions, particularly in the areas of family law and civil liberties.

Another prominent figure was Alfred Denning, Baron Denning (1899-1999), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Master of the Rolls from 1962 to 1982 and later as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary from 1957 to 1962. He was renowned for his judicial activism and his contributions to the development of English law.

In the 16th century, the name appears in records associated with the village of Denning in Kent, such as William Denning, who was born in Denning in 1547. This suggests that the name may have originated from or been associated with this particular location.

The Denning family also had a presence in the United States, with one of the earliest recorded instances being Thomas Denning, who emigrated from England to Virginia in the 17th century and settled in Stafford County.

Another notable bearer of the Denning surname was William Frederick Denning (1848-1920), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Music and the Whitechapel Art Gallery.

Overall, the surname Denning has a long and rich history, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and its association with topographic features such as valleys and hollows. It has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history, both in England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denning 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 272 Dennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.08x.

County Total Index
Somerset 272 15.08x
Gloucestershire 118 5.37x
Middlesex 108 0.96x
Yorkshire 97 0.87x
Devon 92 3.94x
Surrey 71 1.30x
Warwickshire 38 1.34x
Cheshire 35 1.41x
Glamorgan 33 1.69x
Lancashire 30 0.23x
Monmouthshire 25 3.09x
Wiltshire 25 2.52x
Staffordshire 24 0.63x
Worcestershire 21 1.43x
Durham 20 0.60x
Dorset 19 2.58x
Kent 18 0.47x
Northumberland 17 1.02x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.86x
Channel Islands 11 3.31x
Leicestershire 10 0.80x
Lincolnshire 10 0.56x
Sussex 9 0.48x
Essex 7 0.32x
Northamptonshire 7 0.66x
Hampshire 4 0.17x
Cornwall 3 0.24x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Argyllshire 2 0.64x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x
Shropshire 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. Radstock in Somerset leads with 38 Dennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 320.40x.

Place Total Index
Radstock 38 320.40x
Bowling 32 29.09x
Chard 22 100.69x
Holcombe 21 1019.42x
St Pancras London 21 2.33x
Berkeley 20 163.53x
Shepton Mallet 20 98.81x
Kilmersdon 18 202.02x
Kingston On Thames 17 12.96x
Midsomer Norton 17 100.00x
Wolverhampton 16 5.50x
Bermondsey 15 4.50x
Islington London 14 1.29x
Roath 14 15.79x
Bitton 13 67.96x
Croydon 13 4.29x
Stoke Lane 13 503.88x
Aston 12 1.54x
Bristol St George 12 11.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 5.80x
Cardiff St John 12 18.82x
Kidderminster Borough 12 14.01x
Nottingham St Mary 12 3.07x
Cullompton 11 107.95x
Weston Super Mare 11 24.14x
Winsham 11 333.33x
Writhlington 11 700.64x
Bromley 10 17.16x
Chippenham 10 48.10x
Crewkerne 10 52.19x
Leicester St Margaret 10 3.30x
Lympston 10 239.81x
Stapleton 10 23.98x
Gildersome 9 67.42x
Lambeth 9 0.92x
Rodborough 9 84.75x
Bridgewater 8 16.33x
East Ardsley 8 83.16x
Elland Cum Greetland 8 15.99x
Haughton Le Skerne 8 290.91x
Leigh On Mendip 8 451.98x
Longbenton 8 11.33x
Monks Coppenhall 8 8.57x
Witham Friary 8 430.11x
Birmingham 7 0.74x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 9.55x
Greencroft 7 114.38x
Halliwell 7 14.46x
Idle 7 13.59x
Lower Llanvrechva 7 88.05x
Middlesbrough 7 4.84x
Paddington London 7 1.70x
Peterborough 7 9.17x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 3.89x
Tavistock 7 26.34x
Toxteth Park 7 1.55x
Westminster St Margaret 7 12.95x
Birkenhead 6 3.04x
Bitton Oldland 6 26.70x
Charlton Kings 6 39.45x
Earsdon 6 44.22x
Risca 6 39.29x
Sedlescombe 6 240.96x
Sidbury 6 120.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.66x
St Peter Port 6 9.77x
Stamford St George 6 74.53x
Stoke Damerel 6 3.67x
Tiverton 6 14.93x
Weaverham Cum Milton 6 91.74x
Altrincham 5 11.57x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.03x
East Ham 5 12.18x
Kensington London 5 0.80x
Kingswinford 5 3.64x
Moore 5 326.80x
Runcorn 5 8.77x
Seaton 5 55.62x
Shute 5 225.23x
Stoke St Gregory 5 91.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 70
Elizabeth 42
Sarah 35
Ann 22
Jane 20
Emily 17
Emma 17
Annie 15
Eliza 14
Alice 13
Hannah 12
Louisa 11
Florence 10
Kate 10
Martha 10
Ellen 9
Harriet 9
Charlotte 8
Matilda 8
Ada 7
Caroline 7
Edith 7
Harriett 7
Anne 6
Laura 6
Lucy 6
Margaret 6
Rose 6
Bessie 5
Bridget 5
Frances 5
Lydia 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Amy 4
Anna 4
Bertha 4
Fanny 4
Isabella 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Esther 3
Lavinia 3
Maud 3
Mercy 3
Catherine 2
Elizth. 2
Elsie 2
Lilly 2
Lily 2

Top male names

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

FAQ

Denning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,148 people were recorded with the Denning surname. That placed it at #3,485 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,898 in 2016. That gives Denning a modern rank of #3,349.

What does the Denning surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the people of the valley."

What does the Denning map show?

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