NameCensus.

UK surname

Denyer

A locational surname referring to someone from the French town of Deneuvre.

In the 1881 census there were 1,218 people recorded with the Denyer surname, ranking it #3,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,932, ranked #3,309, up from #3,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Godalming, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley, Worthing and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denyer is 2,180 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.6%.

1881 census count

1,218

Ranked #3,320

Modern count

1,932

2016, ranked #3,309

Peak year

1998

2,180 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denyer had 1,218 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,932 in 2016, ranked #3,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,108 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Denyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Denyer 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 779 #3,423
1861 historical 717 #3,795
1881 historical 1,218 #3,320
1891 historical 1,498 #2,942
1901 historical 1,817 #2,886
1911 historical 2,108 #2,375
1997 modern 2,120 #2,913
1998 modern 2,180 #2,940
1999 modern 2,178 #2,962
2000 modern 2,141 #2,994
2001 modern 2,079 #3,011
2002 modern 2,101 #3,045
2003 modern 2,073 #3,024
2004 modern 2,023 #3,083
2005 modern 1,958 #3,146
2006 modern 1,958 #3,153
2007 modern 1,970 #3,163
2008 modern 1,944 #3,212
2009 modern 1,993 #3,220
2010 modern 2,036 #3,230
2011 modern 1,993 #3,242
2012 modern 1,923 #3,293
2013 modern 1,956 #3,304
2014 modern 1,974 #3,300
2015 modern 1,951 #3,298
2016 modern 1,932 #3,309

Geography

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Where Denyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Godalming, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and Chiddingfold, Haslemere. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley, Worthing, Arun and Brighton and Hove. 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 Godalming Surrey
2 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 005 Waverley
2 Worthing 011 Worthing
3 Arun 001 Arun
4 Brighton and Hove 005 Brighton and Hove
5 Worthing 006 Worthing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Denyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Denyer

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Denyer is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Denyer is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Denyer falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Denyer

The surname DENYER originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "deniier," meaning "one who had authority over a dene or valley." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been landowners or overseers of a particular dene or valley.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Denyer, Denior, and Deniour, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a certain Walter le Deniur is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the DENYER surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, which recorded landowners and their properties. This suggests that the Denyers had established themselves as landowners by this period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not seem to contain any direct references to the DENYER name. However, it is possible that the name's origins can be traced back to individuals or families recorded in this important historical document.

Notable individuals with the DENYER surname include:

1. John Denyer (c. 1645-1717), an English mathematician and surveyor who worked on various land surveys and mapping projects. 2. William Denyer (1739-1809), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 3. Elizabeth Denyer (1785-1858), an English author and poet, known for her religious and moral works. 4. Thomas Denyer (1818-1892), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Royal Mint building. 5. Arthur Denyer (1871-1949), a New Zealand-born cricketer who played domestically for Gloucestershire and Essex.

The DENYER surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Denyer's Green in Buckinghamshire and Denyer's Farm in Oxfordshire, further highlighting the historical ties of the name to specific locations and properties.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Denyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denyer 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. Surrey leads with 396 Denyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

County Total Index
Surrey 396 6.83x
Sussex 388 19.35x
Middlesex 202 1.70x
Kent 77 1.90x
Hampshire 72 2.95x
Durham 18 0.51x
Bedfordshire 12 1.95x
Lancashire 10 0.07x
Staffordshire 9 0.22x
Hertfordshire 8 0.98x
Lincolnshire 6 0.32x
Essex 5 0.21x
Norfolk 5 0.27x
Royal Navy 3 2.12x
Dorset 2 0.26x
Warwickshire 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Devon 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Godalming in Surrey leads with 41 Denyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 112.42x.

Place Total Index
Godalming 41 112.42x
Chiddingfold 40 736.65x
St Marylebone London 37 5.83x
Lambeth 31 2.99x
Littlehampton 31 193.75x
Brighton 29 7.17x
Kensington London 29 4.39x
Wisborough Green 29 430.27x
Camberwell 25 3.29x
Portsea 25 5.23x
Lurgashall 24 805.37x
Bermondsey 22 6.21x
Bramshott 22 366.06x
Hambledon 20 326.26x
Islington London 20 1.74x
Kirdford 20 287.36x
Rustington 19 1292.52x
Ash Normandy 18 228.72x
Broadwater 18 39.14x
Isleworth 17 32.15x
Thursley 15 360.58x
Mile End Old Town London 14 5.53x
New Shoreham 14 116.47x
Kingston On Thames 13 9.34x
Stedham 13 590.91x
Mortlake 12 46.48x
Beckenham 11 20.74x
Horsham 11 28.24x
Rudgwick 11 240.17x
Stoke 11 40.23x
Walberton 11 440.00x
Battersea 10 2.29x
Chithurst 10 735.29x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.20x
Petworth 10 83.47x
Rogate 10 248.76x
West Dean 10 335.57x
Reigate Foreign 9 14.34x
Treyford 9 1500.00x
Woolwich 9 6.00x
Amberley 8 268.46x
Caterham 8 31.24x
Farnham 8 17.75x
Hackney London 8 1.20x
Hamstall Ridware 8 512.82x
North Mundham 8 402.01x
Portslade 8 65.25x
Richmond 8 9.85x
South Bersted 8 46.92x
Wonersh 8 110.65x
Ashtead 7 185.68x
Carisbrooke 7 20.69x
Elstead 7 251.80x
Paddington London 7 1.60x
Pulborough 7 95.11x
Staines 7 37.17x
Westoe 7 3.49x
Ashford 6 15.19x
Beddington 6 26.77x
Bedford St Paul 6 14.21x
Bedford St Peter 6 37.52x
Chislehurst 6 27.57x
Eartham 6 952.38x
Ferring 6 638.30x
Guildford Holy Trinity 6 54.35x
Louth 6 13.77x
Plumstead 6 4.44x
Shoreditch London 6 1.16x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.51x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.86x
St George In East London 6 5.36x
Stranton 6 5.04x
Tottenham 6 3.17x
Lewisham 5 2.31x
Mereworth 5 153.37x
Ryhope 5 20.36x
Salford 5 1.20x
St Pancras London 5 0.52x
West Ham 5 0.96x
West Malling 5 54.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 75
George 72
James 42
Henry 38
John 37
Charles 36
Thomas 27
Alfred 26
Frederick 21
Arthur 18
Walter 12
Edward 11
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Joseph 9
Richard 9
Frank 8
Harry 8
Edwin 7
Robert 6
Daniel 5
David 4
Edmund 4
Herbert 4
Harvey 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
W. 3
Wm. 3
F. 2
Henery 2
Jas. 2
Llewellen 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Arther 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Egbert 1
Elias 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Jaamie 1
Jacob 1

FAQ

Denyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,218 people were recorded with the Denyer surname. That placed it at #3,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,932 in 2016. That gives Denyer a modern rank of #3,309.

What does the Denyer surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the French town of Deneuvre.

What does the Denyer map show?

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