The Denistown surname is a patronymic, created from the personal name Dennis; thus the name originally meant "son of Dennis." Dennis comes ultimately from the Latin Dionysius.
The surname Denistown was first found in Yorkshire where the first record of the name was found in 1212. Richard Dionys of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. [1]
Some were found at the chapelry of Speeton in the East Riding of Yorkshire. "This township, which belongs to W. J. Denison, Esq., comprises about 1820 acres of land, and commands a beautiful view of the shore from Scarborough to Flamborough Head: the village is situated on an eminence north-east of the road from Bridlington to Scarborough." [2]
However, there is much dispute over the origin of the name. Some claim the name was derived from the Scottish Dennistouns. [3] Yet the author admits that name was also found in Norfolk and Suffolk in early times too. Thomas Denison, one of the Society of Merchant Adventurers, was buried in Leeds parish church in 1708.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Denistown research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1381, 1694, 1629, 1590, 1714, 1782 and are included under the topic Early Denistown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Denistown has been spelled Dennison, Denison, Denson, Dennistoun, Dennistown, Dennisone and many more.
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Denistown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Denistown family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Denistown: Edward Denison, who settled in Virginia in 1623; Dannie Dennison, who was on record in New England in 1626; William Denison, his wife Margaret, and their three sons, who settled in Massachusetts in 1631.