Surname Dennett - Meaning and Origin

Dennett: What does the surname Dennett mean?

The surname Dennett is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have first been used in England. It derives from the medieval personal name, Dennis, which in turn comes from the Greek name Dionysius. Dionysius was the Greek god of wine, and the name came to be associated with followers of the great 3rd century evangelist St. Denis, who is considered the patron saint of France. The name Dennett would have originally been used to differentiate the 'son of Dennis', indicated by the suffix 'et', which is a diminutive. Therefore, the name can be interpreted as "little Dennis" or "son of Dennis". It could have also been used to signify someone who was a servant of a man named Dennis. Over time, this patronymic became a surname passed down through generations. As with many surnames, there can be several variants including Dennet, Denet, and Dennitt.

Dennett: Where does the name Dennett come from?

The surname Dennett originated from England. It is derived from the medieval personal name Dennis, which in turn is derived from the Greek name Dionysius or Dion, the god of wine in Greek mythology. The suffix ‘-ett’ in Dennett is a French diminutive, meaning little or endearing. Therefore, the name can be interpreted as "little Dennis" or "dear Dennis."

Today, it is most common in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. An analysis by Forebears ranks Dennett as the 38,244th most common surname in the world, with the highest number of Dennetts residing in England, followed by the United States and then Australia. Despite its English origin, it is not among the most frequent last names in England, but is still relatively common compared to other countries. Its frequency is significantly higher in the U.S., especially in the states of New Hampshire and Maine.

Variations of the surname Dennett

The surname Dennett is of English origin and has various spellings, variants, and derivatives. Some of these include Dennet, Dennitt, Denet, Denee, Dennis, Dennison, Denison, and Dennetson. A French similar version is Denet. Also, in some literary or historical contexts, the surname might appear as De Dennet to imply 'of the Dennet family.'

The surname Dennett could also form part of composite or double-barreled surnames, examples might include Bennett-Dennett, Dennett-Smith, or Harris-Dennett. It commonly occurs that the surname could be hyphenated or separated by a space, depending on personal, cultural, or regional preferences.

It is also worth noting that names could acquire different spelling over time due to variations in phonetic transcription in different geographical regions or due to transcription errors in documents like census records, immigration papers, etc. Therefore, it is plausible to find records of the name Dennett that have slight variations in spelling, even though they reference descendants of the original Dennett lineage.

Famous people with the name Dennett

• Daniel Dennett: prominent American philosopher who works in a variety of fields, such as cognitive science, computer science, philosophy, and neuroscience. He is especially well known for his seminal works on the philosophy of mind, particularly where it intersects with evolutionary biology and cognitive science.
• Kim Dennett: Canadian National Level Commodities Expert and Supply Chain Management Consultant.
• Reed Dennett: Professional Artist who was born in Taos, New Mexico. He uses both traditional and digital media to create his art.
• Ross Dennett: Former Australian Rules Footballer and currently works in the Public Relations field.
• David Dennett: British actor best known for his roles in organized crime dramas such as 'LINK' and 'Human Target'.
• Sarah Dennett: English television presenter, best known for presenting documentaries on channels such as The History Channel and National Geographic.
• Gerry Dennett: Former Major League Baseball player. He had a productive career from 1916 to 1921 with the Chicago White Sox.
• Evelin Dennett: Estonian ballerina. She was best known for dancing with the Estonian National Ballet Company.
• George Dennett: British Actor and comedian, best known for his work on the Edwardian comedy series, 'Fools and Horses'.
• Arnold Dennett: Former English cricketer who played two first-class matches in 1895.

Other surnames

DenneDenneanDennehyDennelöhrDennemoserDennenDennenlöhrDennenmooserDennenmoserDennenyDennerDennerlDennerleDennerleinDennerloehrDennerlohrDennerlöhrDennertDennesDennesenDenneßenDennetDenney