2000
#2,692
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,333
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.57
Uncommon Last name
Denney
A locational surname derived from any of several places named Denney in England, likely meaning "Dene's island."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,214 Americans carry the last name Denney. That puts it at #2,825 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,114 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Denney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Denney with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,114
Census rank
#2,825
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,395 bearers of the surname Denney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2825th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Denney, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Denney
Among Census respondents with the surname Denney, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Denney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Denney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1% · 11,171
- Two or more races3.5% · 431
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 426
- Black or African American1.2% · 154
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 130
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 83
Timeline
Historical Census data for Denney
Denney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,821
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,792
+459 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 4.34
Rank movement Down 129 places
2020
#2,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,395
-397 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 4.15
Rank movement Down 4 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,692 | 12,333 | 4.57 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,821 | 12,792 | 4.34 | +459 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 129 places |
| 2020 | #2,825 | 12,395 | 4.15 | -397 bearers (-3.1%) | Down 4 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Denney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,821 | #2,825 | -0.1% |
| Count | 12,792 | 12,395 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 4.34 | 4.15 | -4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Denney bearers went from 12,792 to 12,395 (-3.1% change). The surname moved down 4 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,821 to #2,825.
FAQ
Denney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Denney?
Name Census estimates that about 14,214 living Americans carry the surname Denney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,114 residents.
How common is Denney?
Denney ranks #2,825 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.15 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,395 people with the surname Denney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,214), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.15 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Denney.
Has Denney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Denney went from 12,792 recorded bearers to 12,395. That is a decrease of 397 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,821 to #2,825.
What does the Census say about the background of Denney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Denney, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Denney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (11,171 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Denney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.1%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Denney (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Denney mean?
A locational surname derived from any of several places named Denney in England, likely meaning "Dene's island." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Denney (4.15 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Denney?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Denney on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.