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Dennis Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Dennis last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Dennis coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Dennis last name

Meaning of the Dennis last name: from Denis, or the Dane. Dennis is an English surname from the medieval first name Denis, from Greek Dionysios, popular through Saint Denis, patron of France. It can also come from le Deneys, "the Dane". The last name is common in the West Country, especially Devon and Cornwall, and across the United States.

Arms associated with the Dennis name

Heraldry associated with the Dennis surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.

Get your full Dennis family history

This is only a glimpse of the Dennis story. The full Dennis history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Dennis coat of arms. Get the full Dennis report.

Dennis name FAQ

What does the Dennis name mean?

From Denis, or the Dane. Common variants include Denis, Dennison, Tennyson.

Where does the Dennis surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Dennis coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Dennis coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).