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Denny Family History

Denny Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: from Middle English Den(n)y, a pet form of the personal name Denis (see Dennis). Compare Tenney. English: habitational name from Danny in Hurstpierpoint Sussex recorded as Danye in 134. Alternatively, the name may arise from Denny in Waterbeach Cambridgeshire, but no medieval evidence with a habitative preposition has been found in the case of the latter.

Scottish: habitational name from Denny in Stirlingshire. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Duibhne (see Deeney). Irish (Cork): less frequently a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Duineachdha (see Dennehy).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Denny family from?

You can see how Denny families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Denny family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Denny families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 87 Denny families living in Ontario. This was about 49% of all the recorded Denny's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Denny families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Denny surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Denny ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Denny. 58% of Denny men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Denny women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Denny were Farmers Son and Student.

View Census Data for Denny | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    58%
  • Labourer
    20%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Farmers Son
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    22%
  • Stenographer
    22%
  • Saleslady
    15%
  • Student
    15%

What Denny family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 157,000 census records available for the last name Denny. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Denny census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Denny

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Denny. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Denny immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Denny. For the veterans among your Denny ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Denny military records

You've only scratched the surface of Denny family history

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What is the average Denny lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Denny life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Denny in 1946 was 48, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Denny

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Denny ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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