Dennay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Dennay is an ancient Pictish-Scottish name. It is derived from the personal name Dennis. Dennay is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Some patronyms were formed from the personal names of the father of the bearer, while others came from prominent religious and secular figures. The surname Dennay was first established in Lancashire, prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Early Origins of the Dennay family

The surname Dennay was first found in Stirlingshire at Denny, a town and parish. "This place, of which the name, derived from the Gaelic Dun, is descriptive of its situation on an eminence, originally formed part of the parish of Falkirk, from which it was separated about the year 1618. A considerable portion of the parish appears to have belonged to an establishment of Knights Templars which probably existed here or in the immediate vicinity, and the land is still known by the appellation of Temple-Denny. " 1

John Denny had a safe conduct into England in 1424 to trade with the Denizens. John Denny was a merchant of Glasgow in 1634. Peter Denny was the largest shipbuilder on the Clyde in his time, only to be overtaken by the great Brown's shipyard which built the Queens Mary and Elizabeth. 2

In England, "Denny has long been a Suffolk name. In the reign of Edward III., Roger le Denney held the manor of Denneys in Coddenham parish, which remained in the family for several generations. In 1541 Thomas Denny, Esq., owned Mells; and in 1562 the Dennys held estates in Bramfield. John Denye resided at "Lakyngh" in the hundred of Laokford in the 13th century." 3

Early History of the Dennay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dennay research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1500, 1501, 1537, 1539, 1541, 1544, 1546, 1549, 1609, 1612, 1613, 1631, 1635, 1642, 1651, 1652, 1653, 1654, 1668, 1676, 1706, 1713, 1785, 1800, 1802, 1804, 1810, 1811, 1821, 1838, 1842, 1856 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Dennay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dennay Spelling Variations

Translation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Dennay has appeared Denny, Denney, Dennie, Denie, Denye, Deanney, Deannie and many more.

Early Notables of the Dennay family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dennay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dennay family to Ireland

Some of the Dennay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 53 words (4 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 Dennay family

Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Dennay name: Thomas Denny from Combs, Devon, England settled in Leicester, Massachusetts in 1646; Mary Denny settled in New England (Massachusetts) in 1635; another Mary Denny settled in Maryland in 1736.

The Dennay Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Et mea messis erit
Motto Translation: My harvest will also arrive.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.