The Dennison surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,629 people carried this name — #2,465 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,200 people counted. That is up 4% from 14,132 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Dennison surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Dennis + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Dennison» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Dennis’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Richard Dionys, 1307 — Writs of Parliament.

His entry covers Dennis, Dennison, Denis and Denison.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 237 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 6 births for the Dennison name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Armagh.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 6

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In print

Dennison in American newspapers,
1903–1916.

Newspaper page from Canton Weekly Register carrying the name Dennison
Canton Weekly Register 1903-09-03
Newspaper page from The Lexington Progress carrying the name Dennison
The Lexington Progress 1916-05-19
Newspaper page from Evening Times-republican carrying the name Dennison
Evening Times-republican 1905-05-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Dennison in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

8,169 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dennison. The most, 2,052, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 3.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 2,969
New South Wales 2,501
Victoria 798
Queensland 747
Tasmania 601
Western Australia 502
ACT (Canberra) 26
Northern Territory 4

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Dennison.

Who carried it

People named Dennison,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Aaron Lufkin Dennison
    Aaron Lufkin Dennison 1812–1895 · businessperson
  • William Dennison Jr.
    William Dennison Jr. 1815–1882 · lawyer
  • Charles Dennison d. 1972
  • Capt E S Dennison d. 1806
  • Mrs M Dennison d. 1806
  • Lucius W. Dennison 1819– · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Dennison,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,478 records

1,478 records of the Dennison name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 449
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 336
  • Other U.S. records 693
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Jack Dennison

    Born 1913 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Houston; driver from Harris County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1977, buried at Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Lizzie Dennison

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 24; servant. From Waterford, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Samuel Dennison

    Born 1950; from Bethel, Delaware. U.S. Army, aircraft maintenance apprentice; died in an accident 1971 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,478 records for Dennison in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia335 records

335 records of the Dennison name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 154
  • Tasmanian Names Index 66
  • Other Australian records 115
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Dennison

    Died 1936 in Tasmania, aged 68. Will registered in Tasmania in 1937.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Michael Dennison

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Bussorah Merchant, arriving 1831; ticket of leave 1836. Native of Dublin.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph Dennison

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Star of the East, aged 42; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 335 records for Dennison in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada233 records

233 records of the Dennison name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 208
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 9
  • Other Canadian records 16
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ronald David Dennison

    Buried in 1973 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 42.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Emma Euphemia Dennison

    Died 1941 in Grand Pre, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Russell Alexander Dennison

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 233 records for Dennison in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom32 records

32 records of the Dennison name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 20
  • Stirling Council burial records 7
  • Other British records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Barbara Muriel Dennison

    Died 2001, aged 54; buried at Kippen Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charlotte Dennison

    Buried in 1819 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 80.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Benjamin Dennison

    Will proved in 1910; of City of Peterborough, blk.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Dennison in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand10 records

10 records of the Dennison name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 8
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Magdalene Allan Dennison

    Died 1966, aged 56; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Dennison

    Buried in 1904 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 87.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Dennison

    Died 1968, aged 93; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Dennison in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Ireland7 records

7 records of the Dennison name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Dennison

    Died 1910, aged 91; buried at St Marys, Tuam, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Dennison

    Died 1949, aged 36; buried at St Marys, Tuam, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Jane Dennison

    Died 1930, aged 65; buried at St Marys, Tuam, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Dennison in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Dennison name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ann Amelia Dennison

    Died 1912 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 86.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Joshua Dennison

    Married in 1751 in Rotterdam; born in Leeds in Yorkshire.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ann Amelia Dennison

    Married in 1847 in Henbury.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Dennison in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Dennison.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Dennison is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Dennison volume
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