Find out how popular the last name Dench is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Dench.

Dench, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Dench surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dench in America

Dench is the 89403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dench surname appeared 207 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dench.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dench to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Dench

The surname Dench is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "denc," which means a deep wooded valley or hollow. This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who resided in or near such geographical features.

The earliest known record of the Dench surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Dence" or "de Denche." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants throughout England and parts of Wales.

During the medieval period, the name was predominantly found in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. Some of the earliest recorded instances include William de Dench, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1203, and Robert de Denche, who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

The name Dench is also believed to have connections to various place names, such as Denham and Denchworth, which further reinforces its geographical origins. For example, the village of Denchworth, located in Oxfordshire, was previously known as "Dencheswrthe" in the Domesday Book, meaning "Dench's homestead" or "farm."

Notable individuals who bore the Dench surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Dench (1588-1658), an English judge and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wallingford and Berkshire.
2. Thomas Dench (1677-1767), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Two Covenants."
3. William Dench (1784-1854), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Naval General Service Medal.
4. Judi Dench (born 1934), the renowned English actress known for her roles in films such as "Shakespeare in Love," "Skyfall," and "Philomena," for which she received an Academy Award.
5. Sir Richard Dench (1915-1997), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg from 1973 to 1977.

While the Dench surname has evolved over time, with variations like Densh, Denche, and Denchez appearing in historical records, it has maintained its strong English heritage and associations with rural landscapes and settlements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dench

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Dench.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Dench was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Dench has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Dench was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dench, please contact us.

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