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

Denney, 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 Denney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Denney in America

Denney is the 2821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Denney surname appeared 12,792 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Denney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Denney 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 Denney

The surname Denney originated in England, with its earliest known roots traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "denu," meaning a valley or dell, combined with the Old English patronymic suffix "-ey," indicating a place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Denney can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire, dated 1195, which mentions a person named Walter de Deneye. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a location in Buckinghamshire or a nearby area.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Denney appeared in various records and manuscripts, often with spelling variations such as Denny, Dennie, and Denneye. These variations were common due to the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 13th century, the name Denney was documented in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, listing a William de Deneye as a landowner in the region. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in Oxfordshire during this period.

Noteworthy individuals with the surname Denney include Sir Edward Denney (1570-1637), an English nobleman and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was Sir John Denney (1615-1688), an English judge and politician who held the position of Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

In the literary realm, the playwright and poet John Denney (1679-1767) is remembered for his contributions to the English stage during the 18th century. Additionally, the English botanist John Denney (1734-1786) made significant contributions to the study of plant life and is credited with discovering several new species.

The surname Denney also has a connection to place names in various regions of England. For instance, the village of Denney in Cambridgeshire likely derived its name from the Old English word "denu," further reinforcing the surname's origins.

Throughout history, the surname Denney has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from landowners and politicians to artists and scientists. While its spelling may have varied over time, its roots can be traced back to the fertile valleys and dells of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Denney

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

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 Denney 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 Denney 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 Denney was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!