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

Dentley, 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 Dentley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dentley in America

Dentley is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dentley surname appeared 104 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 Dentley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dentley 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 Dentley

The surname Dentley originates from England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "denu," meaning a valley or a hollow, and the suffix "-ley," which refers to a meadow or a clearing. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived in a valley or a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dentley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, dating back to 1195, where it is spelled as "Denteleg." This record provides insight into the historical presence of the name in the southern counties of England during the medieval period.

The Dentley surname is also mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Dentelee." This document, which was a census-like record of landowners, highlights the name's association with the county of Bedfordshire in the 13th century.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Dentelegh" and "Denteley," as evidenced by records from the Court Rolls of Wiltshire in 1333 and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1382, respectively.

One notable individual bearing the Dentley surname was Sir John Dentley, who lived in the late 15th century and served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1472. Another early record mentions a Thomas Dentley, who was born in 1512 and served as a rector in the village of Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the name Dentley was found in various records from Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. A William Dentley, born in 1575, was a prominent landowner in the village of Long Compton, Warwickshire, and his family's lineage can be traced back to the 15th century.

The 17th century saw the emergence of notable figures like Robert Dentley, a scholar and author born in 1601 in Oxfordshire, who published works on theology and philosophy. Additionally, a John Dentley, born in 1638 in Gloucestershire, was a successful merchant and philanthropist who donated funds for the construction of a school in his hometown.

As the centuries progressed, the Dentley surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals from this family making contributions in various fields, including law, politics, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dentley

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

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

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

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