Meaning and origin
The last name Dennis is of Celtic origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Donnchadh," meaning "brown warrior." With ancient roots in Ireland and Scotland, the name Dennis evolved over time to its present form. It gained popularity during the Middle Ages and eventually spread to other English-speaking countries through migration and colonization.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#409
Dennis was the 409th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 78,482 people, about 27 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Dennis
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Dennis is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.