Denen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancestors of the name Denen date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Denen family lived in Dinham, a hamlet in the county Monmouthshire. 1

Early Origins of the Denen family

The surname Denen was first found in Monmouthshire. However, another source points to Devon and Cornwall as the origin of the family. In this case, Barons Dinham, and De Dinant, claim descent from the Viscounts Dinant of Bretagne, France. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 has two listings in Devon: Oliver de Dynham; and Robert de Dyncham as both holding lands there at that time. 1

The manor of Bodarle or Bodardle, in the parish of Lanlivery, Cornwall belonged in the reign of Richard I. In 1259, it was conveyed by Isolda de Cardinham to Oliver de Dinan, in whose posterity it continued for several generations. 3

Early History of the Denen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Denen research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1295, 1320, 1433, 1460, 1486, 1501, 1765 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Denen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Denen Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Denen are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Denen include: Dynham, Dinan, Dinham, Dinat, Dyneham and others.

Early Notables of the Denen family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham, (c. 1433-1501) was made High Sheriff of Devon and Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1460, Lord High Treasurer of England in 1486, an English peer and politician, served as councillor to Edward IV, Richard III and Henry VII. Charles Dignum, son of a master tailor, was born at Rotherhithe in 1765. His father, being a Roman Catholic, placed him when a boy in the choir of the Sardinian ambassador's chapel in Duke Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, where his fine voice attracted the attention of Samuel Webbe, the glee composer...
Another 131 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Denen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Denen migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Denen or a variant listed above:

Denen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Anna Von Denen, who arrived in America in 1661 4

Denen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Rosche Denen, aged 50, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
Zippe Denen, aged 5, who landed in America, in 1895
John Denen, aged 27, who landed in America from Southampton, in 1896

Denen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Anna Denen, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1905
Auguste Denen, aged 10, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
Ernest Denen, aged 7, who landed in America, in 1905
George Denen, aged 11, who immigrated to America, in 1905

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)