From the personal name Denis (earlier Denys), the French form of Latin Dionysius. S. Denis, the patron saint of France, was the titular saint of five Scottish fairs. Johannes Dennys was burgess of Aberdeen, 1499 (REA., I, p. 344), James Denis was burgess of Linlithgow, 1536 (Johnsoun), and Isobel Denoiss is recorded in Abernethie, 1617 (Dunblane). As forename we have: Dionisius Cavers, 1506 (RMS., II, 2985), Dionisius Chalmer, bailie of Newburgh, Fife, 1544 (Laing, Newburgh, p. 487), Dioniss Blackat in Perth, 1581 (Mill, Plays, p. 280), and Denoyis Gilruff in parish of Lesmahago, 1623 (Lanark CR.). Dionysius became third prior of Scone, 1140 (Scon, pref., p. IX), and Dyonisius was decanus de Anegus in first quarter of thirteenth century (RAA., I, p. 106).

(Anglo-French-Latin-Greek), the common French Denis, earlier Denys, Latin Dionys-us, Greek Διόνυσ~ος, Bacchus, God of Wine. (Anglo-French-Scand.) Dane, Danish [Anglo-French deneis, deneys, daneis, &c. (mod. French danois] Joel le Deneys.—Hundred Rolls Brice le Daneis.—Parl. Writs.

Dennis has sometimes been used in Ireland to replace the native Donagh.

Cp. Dench.

“Dane” in Old English.

(French) Descendant of Denis (belonging to Dionysus, the Grecian god of wine).

(English, Irish) Descendant od Denis (belonging to Dionysius, the Grecian god of wine); descendant of the brown fighter or warrior.

A baptismal name: the patron saint of France. Sometimes, however, as Ferguson observes, it may be from the Anglo-Saxon, Denisca, Danish, and this is confirmed by the Le Deneys of the H.R.

From dinas, dinas, a bulwark, fortress, city, walled town. The name may, however, sometimes be from the parish of St. Denis in Powdre, so called from St. Denis or Dionysius, to whom its church was dedicated.

A corruption of the Greek name Dionysius, which is derived from διος, divine, and υους, mind. Dinas, Welsh, a fort, a stronghold.

From St. Denis le Gaste in the Cotentin. Hugh de St. Dionisio, Roger, and Hugh of England, 1199 (Rotuli Curiae Regis); Robert de St. Dionisio, 1194 (Ib.). See Murdoch.

Richard, Fulco, GeofFry, Roger, Hugh, Matthew, Robert Daneis of Normandy, 1180-98 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); Hugh Daneis or Daniscus of England, 1189 (Rot. Pip.). In t. Henry I. John Danois held his estate from the See of Bayeux (Mem. Soc. Ant. Norm. viii. 431). Hugh Daniscus was of Devon, 1130 (Rot. Pip.). Robert Dc\cus or Le Daneys held from the Abbot of Tavistock, 1165 (Liber Niger); Osbert and Ralph Dacus held in Dorset (Ib.). Hence the Barons Tracton.

From the French, Denis; a personal name.

Danes: from Denmark. In deeds and Hundred Rolls we have So-and-so described as Le Danois.

Dennis: (the Dane). Not certain, not even probable, that one came over with the Conqueror. An interpolation.

The old Liskeard family of Dennis, hailing originally from Devonshire, supplied twelve mayors to the town between 1680 and 1732, and its representative in parliament in 1733 (A,).

Dennis is an ancient name in Devonshire. In the reign of Henry II. an influential family of Le Deneis resided at Pancrasweek, in the hundred of Black Torrington, and from them sprang the knightly family of Dennis, of Blagdon and Manaton, and the families of Dennis of Holcomb - Buraell, Colliscombe, etc., in the 16th and 17th centuries (W. A. and W.). Dennis was a Bideford name in the 16th and 17th centuries, Anthony Dennis, of Orleigh, being mayor in the reign of James I., whilst Robert Dennis was a Bideford alderman somewhere about this period (Wat.). Thomas Dennys was mayor of Barnstale in the time of Cromwell, and Nicholas Dennys was deputy - recorder of that town in the reign of Charles II. (G.). The principal home of the name in this county is still to be found in Barnstaple and its neighbourhood.