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

Denniston, 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 Denniston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Denniston in America

Denniston is the 14495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Denniston surname appeared 2,058 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Denniston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Denniston 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 Denniston

The surname Denniston has its roots in Scotland, originating in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "Dene" meaning valley and "tun" meaning farm or settlement, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name lived in a valley settlement.

Denniston is believed to be a locational surname, referring to the lands of Dennistoun, a parish in the county of Renfrewshire, Scotland. The earliest recorded spelling of this place name was "Danenceystun" in the 12th century, which evolved into "Danzestoun" and eventually "Dennistoun" by the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Denniston surname appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the Dennistons held a prominent position in Scottish society during that period.

In the 14th century, Sir Robert Denniston, a Scottish knight, was noted for his bravery and military prowess in the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English. He fought alongside the legendary William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, playing a significant role in securing Scotland's sovereignty.

Another noteworthy bearer of the Denniston name was John Denniston, born in 1615 in Camiseskan, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was a renowned Presbyterian minister and a staunch supporter of the Covenanters, a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played a crucial role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 18th century, Archibald Denniston, born in 1733 in Glasgow, Scotland, gained recognition as a prominent merchant and shipowner. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Scotland and the colonies in North America, significantly contributing to the city's economic growth.

The Denniston surname also has a presence in literary history. James Denniston, born in 1829 in Renfrewshire, Scotland, was a respected scholar and author. He wrote extensively on Scottish literature and folklore, preserving the rich cultural heritage of his homeland.

Throughout the centuries, the Denniston name has been associated with various professions, from military leaders and clergymen to merchants and scholars, reflecting the diverse contributions of this Scottish family to the nation's history and cultural fabric.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Denniston

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

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

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

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