Dence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient and distinguished name Dence comes from the Old English word "denich," which means "Danish"; the name was originally for an immigrant from Denmark. There were many Danes throughout England in the Middle Ages, especially the long-established settlers of the Danelaw region. Some bearers of "Dennis" come from these Danish roots, while others are of Norman stock. The more recent variation "Denmark" probably refers to a new Danish immigrant.

Early Origins of the Dence family

The surname Dence was first found in Worcestershire, where the family held a seat from ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was a Norman knight named Robert le Daneis, who was a charter witness in 1133. The Old English "Dench" was first recorded in 1327, when Thomas Dench was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

Early History of the Dence family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dence research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1133, 1327, 1767, 1793, 1808, 1809, 1849, 1851 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Dence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dence Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dench, Dence, Denns, Dence, Dentch, Dennish, Dennys (Old French), Dane and many more.

Early Notables of the Dence family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dence Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dence family to Ireland

Some of the Dence family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dence family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: William Dench, who came to Barbados in 1635; Patrick Denmark, who settled in New Hampshire in 1664; Eleanor Dench, who arrived in Virginia in 1759; Maria Jane Dench, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812.