| ![Show Contents]() Dancy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Dancy family, who lived in Wiltshire. The family was originally from Anizy, in Calvados, Normandy, and it is from this location that their surname derives. The name would have stood as D'Anizy, which means from Anizy. 1 Early Origins of the Dancy familyThe surname Dancy was first found in Wiltshire where Richard de Dauntesye was one of the first records of the name as listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls listed Peter de Dauntesy in Berkshire. 2 West Lavington in Wiltshire "was for many generations the property of the Dauntsey family, of whom William Dauntsey, a younger son, was alderman of London in 1542." 3 He would later found and endow an almshouse, and a grammar school there. The church contains the sepulchral chapel of the Dauntsey family. Through marriage the property passed to the Danvers family. Early History of the Dancy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dancy research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1242, 1348, 1349, 1542, 1632, 1660 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Dancy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dancy Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Dancey, Dauncy, Dauncey, Dauntsey, Dance, Dancie, Dauncie, Dauntsie and many more. Early Notables of the Dancy familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Dansy, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1348 and 1349. Roger Dansey was High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1632. William Dauntesey (or Dauntsey) was a London merchant and Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He died...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dancy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dancy RankingIn the United States, the name Dancy is the 3,634th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4  Migration of the Dancy family to Ireland
Some of the Dancy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Dancy migration to the United States | + |
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dancy or a variant listed above:
Dancy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Dancy, who settled in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "George"
Dancy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mich'l Dancy, aged 19, who landed in America from Ireland, in 1893
- Miss Mary Dancy, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
- Mary L. Dancy, aged 33, who immigrated to America, in 1895
Dancy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- William R. Dancy, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
- Tho. Hy Dancy, aged 34, who settled in America from London, in 1904
- Thomas Henry Dancy, aged 38, who settled in America from London, England, in 1908
- Nellie Dancy, aged 23, who landed in America, in 1908
- Martin Dancy, aged 22, who landed in America from Wishau, Scotland, in 1908
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Dancy (post 1700) | + |
- Chanda Yvette Dancy (b. 1978), United States film composer violinist, keyboardist, and singer
- Jake Dancy (b. 1978), retired American soccer defender
- William "Bill" Woodruff Dancy (b. 1951), American baseball manager and coach
- Paul Antony John Dancy (b. 1978), English cricketer
- Hugh Dancy (b. 1975), English Emmy Award-nominated actor and model
- Keith Jules Dancy (1930-2001), Canadian NHL hockey commentator on Hockey Night in Canada (1952 to 1966)
- Jonathan Peter Dancy (b. 1946), British philosopher specializing in epistemology and ethics
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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Dancy migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
