Denis
A classic French surname and given name from Saint Denis, the patron saint of Paris.
The #5,133 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 45,284 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Denis is the French form of Denis/Dionysius, ultimately from Greek Dionysios, meaning ‘of Dionysus.’ As a surname, it usually began as a patronymic or baptismal name: ‘son of Denis’ or someone identified by the given name Denis. In French usage it also connects with devotion to Saint Denis, whose cult made the name especially popular.
History
The surname is common in France and in French-speaking areas, and it spread more widely through migration and the long popularity of the personal name Denis. In English records, it often appears as a form related to Dennis, with medieval examples showing both masculine and feminine use as a forename. Some older surname books also note its association with place-names dedicated to Saint Denis.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Saint Denis was said to have been martyred north of Paris, and his name became so familiar that it also helped shape many French place-names and surnames.
From the historical record
“p. 323. DENIS. See Dennis. DENISON. DENNISON. The son of Denis. See, however, Dennistoun. DENMAN. See the termination, den and 31AN. The form in H.R. is Ate Dene. A dweller in a dene or ' den' would be called a Denman or a Denyer. The writer of the article on Surnames in Ediub. Rev. April, 1855, thinks the original…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Denis
- Maurice Denis (1870–1943)
- Claire Denis (b. 1946)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.