NameCensus.

UK surname

Denton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places in England named Denton, meaning "valley settlement."

In the 1881 census there were 5,488 people recorded with the Denton surname, ranking it #811 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,781, ranked #845, down from #811 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denton is 8,231 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.8%.

1881 census count

5,488

Ranked #811

Modern count

7,781

2016, ranked #845

Peak year

1999

8,231 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denton had 5,488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #811 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,781 in 2016, ranked #845.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,799 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Denton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denton 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 3,543 #798
1861 historical 3,355 #852
1881 historical 5,488 #811
1891 historical 6,033 #772
1901 historical 6,946 #798
1911 historical 7,799 #664
1997 modern 7,877 #819
1998 modern 8,085 #830
1999 modern 8,231 #822
2000 modern 8,116 #824
2001 modern 7,962 #820
2002 modern 8,121 #821
2003 modern 7,876 #823
2004 modern 7,903 #820
2005 modern 7,682 #833
2006 modern 7,652 #840
2007 modern 7,692 #844
2008 modern 7,705 #849
2009 modern 7,949 #839
2010 modern 8,105 #841
2011 modern 7,963 #845
2012 modern 7,819 #840
2013 modern 7,911 #847
2014 modern 7,911 #853
2015 modern 7,831 #848
2016 modern 7,781 #845

Geography

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Where Dentons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Halifax, London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley and Northumberland. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 013 Barnsley
2 Northumberland 009 Northumberland
3 Barnsley 012 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
5 Barnsley 007 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Denton 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

Denton is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Denton falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Denton 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Denton

The surname Denton is of English origin and has its roots in the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from various places named Denton, which is an Old English term meaning "valley town" or "valley settlement." The name is composed of two elements: "denu," meaning valley, and "tun," signifying an enclosure or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Denton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Several individuals with the name Denton are mentioned in this historic document, indicating the prevalence of the name in various parts of the country.

One notable example from the Domesday Book is Robert de Denton, who held lands in Lancashire. This entry suggests that the surname may have originated from the town of Denton near Manchester, which was a thriving settlement during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the surname Denton appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded landowners and their holdings. One such entry mentions William de Denton, who held land in Buckinghamshire.

Over the centuries, the surname Denton has been associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest was Sir Thomas Denton (c. 1500-1558), an English lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Queen Mary I. Another prominent individual was John Denton (1561-1617), an English historian and author best known for his work "The Annexed Book of Peculiars for the County Palatine of Lancaster," which provided valuable insights into the history and customs of the region.

In the 17th century, James Denton (1612-1663) gained recognition as an English Puritan clergyman and religious writer. He served as the rector of Stonegrave in Yorkshire and authored several works, including "A Commentary on the Lord's Sermon on the Mount."

The 18th century saw the rise of Thomas Denton (1724-1777), an English engraver and landscape artist renowned for his intricate topographical views of country estates and landscapes. His works were highly sought after by the aristocracy and gentry of the time.

In more recent history, Jeremiah Denton (1924-2014) was an American naval aviator and Vietnam War prisoner of war who gained national attention for his public statement denouncing the ill-treatment of American prisoners during captivity. He later served as a U.S. Senator from Alabama from 1981 to 1987.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denton 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,921 Dentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,921 3.61x
Lancashire 569 0.89x
Middlesex 391 0.73x
Northamptonshire 371 7.35x
Bedfordshire 251 9.03x
Kent 223 1.22x
Berkshire 195 4.84x
Lincolnshire 186 2.17x
Surrey 177 0.68x
Durham 145 0.91x
Cheshire 110 0.93x
Hampshire 105 0.95x
Warwickshire 88 0.65x
Buckinghamshire 73 2.25x
Norfolk 52 0.63x
Gloucestershire 51 0.48x
Derbyshire 49 0.58x
Essex 47 0.44x
Suffolk 45 0.69x
Oxfordshire 44 1.33x
Cambridgeshire 39 1.15x
Hertfordshire 38 1.03x
Leicestershire 38 0.64x
Staffordshire 37 0.20x
Northumberland 35 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 31 2.91x
Sussex 23 0.25x
Flintshire 20 1.39x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.26x
Cornwall 18 0.30x
Devon 17 0.15x
Cumberland 16 0.35x
Channel Islands 12 0.75x
Somerset 9 0.10x
Glamorgan 7 0.07x
Midlothian 7 0.10x
Wiltshire 7 0.15x
Worcestershire 7 0.10x
Dorset 6 0.17x
Denbighshire 5 0.25x
Herefordshire 5 0.23x
Royal Navy 4 0.63x
Shropshire 3 0.06x
Isle of Man 2 0.20x
Lanarkshire 2 0.01x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.03x
Morayshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnsley in Yorkshire leads with 124 Dentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.60x.

Place Total Index
Barnsley 124 22.60x
Rushden 79 116.95x
Ecclesfield 76 19.49x
Sheffield 70 4.13x
Leeds 68 2.26x
Halifax 61 7.81x
Horton In Bradford 58 6.98x
Batley 57 11.28x
Lepton 50 89.98x
Dewsbury 48 8.80x
Aston 43 1.15x
Brightside Bierlow 43 4.12x
Hackney London 43 1.43x
Oldham 43 2.09x
Bramley In Bramley 41 20.13x
Mirfield 41 14.04x
St Pancras London 41 0.95x
Northowram 38 10.19x
Nether Hallam 36 5.00x
Hunslet 35 4.22x
Great Bolton 34 4.03x
Moulton 34 121.08x
Bradford 33 2.56x
Camberwell 33 0.96x
Islington London 32 0.62x
Prescot 32 27.78x
Southowram 32 19.71x
Abingdon St Helen 30 25.47x
Holy Trinity 29 2.27x
Little Bolton 29 3.54x
Tonbridge 29 4.39x
Wellingborough 29 11.42x
Northampton Priory St 28 9.24x
Birmingham 27 0.60x
Harlington 27 274.11x
Holbeck 27 7.66x
Milton 27 358.57x
Dodworth 26 47.06x
Great Yarmouth 26 3.80x
Northampton St Sepulchre 26 10.12x
Yardley Hastings 26 120.04x
Ardwick 25 4.35x
Bishopwearmouth 25 1.82x
Milton In Gravesend 25 9.10x
Deptford St Paul 24 1.70x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 2.22x
Thornhill 24 15.46x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 22 4.44x
Marston Moretaine 22 101.57x
Bowling 21 3.99x
Castleton 21 3.30x
Hoyland Nether 21 16.10x
Huddersfield 21 2.71x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 20 10.35x
Darton 20 36.71x
West Derby 20 1.07x
Bramshill 19 748.03x
Chiddingstone 19 79.37x
Goldington 19 178.57x
Hulme 19 1.43x
Hyde 19 5.43x
Penistone 19 45.82x
Bedford St Paul 18 9.44x
Liverpool 18 0.47x
Northampton St Giles 18 9.36x
Pendleton In Salford 18 2.37x
Crigglestone 17 33.18x
Rotherham 17 5.67x
Stainbrough 17 172.59x
Bedford St Mary 16 22.35x
Broughton In Salford 16 2.75x
Dunston 16 111.65x
Gateshead 16 1.34x
Gorleston 16 9.63x
Leicester St Margaret 16 1.10x
Manchester 16 0.56x
Manningham 16 2.44x
Chapel Allerton 15 18.84x
Hanslope 15 51.44x
Holywell 15 8.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 347
Sarah 218
Elizabeth 201
Ann 112
Emma 112
Annie 102
Jane 89
Emily 88
Alice 83
Eliza 79
Hannah 66
Ellen 62
Martha 61
Harriet 50
Margaret 43
Florence 37
Louisa 36
Ada 34
Edith 32
Charlotte 31
Caroline 30
Clara 30
Fanny 26
Rebecca 25
Agnes 21
Frances 20
Matilda 20
Amy 19
Kate 19
Maria 19
Catherine 18
Lucy 17
Rose 17
Sophia 17
Susan 16
Amelia 15
Anne 14
Julia 14
Esther 12
Ethel 12
Gertrude 12
Ruth 12
Eleanor 11
Susannah 10
Harriett 9
Lizzie 9
Nancy 9
Selina 9
Elizth. 8
Lydia 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 315
John 287
George 261
James 154
Thomas 148
Joseph 119
Henry 107
Charles 106
Arthur 60
Samuel 59
Walter 57
Edward 55
Alfred 54
Frederick 46
Albert 44
Robert 41
Harry 38
Herbert 32
Richard 32
Ernest 31
Frank 27
Fred 24
David 23
Francis 21
Benjamin 20
Edwin 19
Wm. 19
Peter 13
Stephen 12
Isaac 11
Chas. 10
Tom 10
Jas. 8
Matthew 8
Fredrick 7
Thos. 7
Amos 6
Geo. 6
Joe 6
Jonathan 6
Joshua 6
Ralph 6
Seth 6
Wilfred 6
Edmund 5
Jesse 5
Josiah 5
Lewis 5
Nathaniel 5
Percy 5

FAQ

Denton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,488 people were recorded with the Denton surname. That placed it at #811 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,781 in 2016. That gives Denton a modern rank of #845.

What does the Denton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places in England named Denton, meaning "valley settlement."

What does the Denton map show?

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