Dennison
Usually a patronymic surname meaning “son of Denis,” with some historical spelling overlap from Tennison/Tennyson forms.
The #2,465 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,105 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally explained as meaning “son of Denis,” with Denis ultimately going back to the Latin name Dionysius. In older records and surname lists, Dennison often appears alongside Tennison and Tennyson because the opening consonant could shift in local pronunciation and spelling. Some 19th-century writers also suggested that many such forms may descend from the feminine name Dionise, though that is less certain and should be treated cautiously.
History
The name is found in English records under several spellings, especially in northern counties where sound changes between D and T were common. Bardsley notes that Dennison, Tennison, and Tennyson were often interchanged in old directories and parish records. Lower explicitly glosses Dennison as “the son of Denis,” while also pointing readers to the related Dennistoun family name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The famous poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s surname belongs to the same old name-family as Dennison in many historical spellings.
From the historical record
“Hundred-Rolls. TENISON, V. Tennison, Dennison. TENNANT 1 (A.-Fr.-Lat.) Tenant, Farmer TENNENT J [f. Fr. tenant, holding, pres.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)