Show ContentsDentith History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Dentith is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in Daventry, a town in Northants (now Northampton). The place-name was rendered as Daventrei in the Domesday Book, 1 a census and survey taken by William the Conqueror in 1086. The place-name Daventry is derived from the Old English personal name Dafa, and means "tree of a man called Dafa, Dafa's tree." It is interesting to note that the pronunciation of the placename Daventry is not as it would appear. Locals pronounce Daventry as Daintree, giving rise to the many variations of this name that are found. Another source has a different understanding about the origin of the place name. "The British name of this place, Dwy-Avon-Tre, 'the town of two Avons,' from which its present appellation is derived, originated in its situation between the source of the river Leam, which falls into the Western Avon, and the river Nene, anciently styled the Aufona. " 2

Early Origins of the Dentith family

The surname Dentith was first found in Northampton at Daventry, a market-town, a parish, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Fawsley.

Early History of the Dentith family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dentith research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1296, 1349, 1373 and 1400 are included under the topic Early Dentith History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dentith Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Dentith has been spelled many different ways, including Daventry, Daintry, Dainty, Dantry, Dantye and others.

Early Notables of the Dentith family

More information is included under the topic Early Dentith Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dentith family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Dentiths to arrive in North America: William Daintry who settled in New England in 1695; Henry Dainty settled in Barbados in 1640; Katherine Daintye settled in Maryland in 1685.


HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Thomas Dentith, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 3


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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