Surname Denneny - Meaning and Origin
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Denneny: What does the surname Denneny mean?
The last name Denneny is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Duinnín", where "Ó" signifies "descendant of" and "Duinnín" is a diminutive form of "Donn", meaning "brown". Therefore, the surname implies "descendant of the little brown-haired one." Irish surnames often denote ancestral descriptions or reference some physical traits or attributes. The alternate spelling could be "Dinneen". Like many Irish surnames, different branches of the Denneny family would have emigrated during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, leading to the worldwide spread of Irish surnames. Some famous people with the surname Denneny include Cy Denneny, a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, and Corrine Denneny, an Australian wheelchair basketball player.
Order DNA origin analysisDenneny: Where does the name Denneny come from?
The surname Denneny is of Irish origin. It is believed to derive from the Gaelic "O Duineain", which translates as "descendant of Duineán", a personal name meaning "a small one". The surname was generally associated with County Kerry, in the southwest of Ireland.
There were and still are two main septs, or families, of this clan - the Dineens and the Dennehys, from which the variant Denneny evolved. It is not uncommon for Irish names to evolve into alternate spellings due to anglicization, migration, and transcription errors.
As with many Irish surnames, Denneny can be found in regions that experienced significant Irish immigration, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, because it is less common than some other Irish names, it might not be as widely spread. Today, the largest concentration of people with the Denneny surname may still be found in Ireland, particularly in and around County Kerry. Conversely, due to naturally occurring migration and dispersion over time, the surname can also be encountered in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Denneny
The surname Denneny could possibly have several variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin due to geographic, phonetic, or personal reasons. Some of these could include Denny, Denney, Dennany, Deneny, and Dennin. Other sources suggest the surname may have originally been O’Denny, with other related surnames including O'Dinan, Dinan, Dinen, or Dinnane, thus showing an Irish origin. The exact variants and other surnames of the same origin can be elusive due to the variations in spelling over time and differences in record keeping. Please note that the connection between these names would need to be researched further to confirm a common origin.
Famous people with the name Denneny
- Frank Denneny: Born in Ontario, Canada in 1896, Frank Denneny is a former professional ice hockey player. He played for the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Quakers, and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League.
- Cy Denneny: Born in 1891 in Ontario, Canada, Cyrillus "Cy" Denneny was also a professional ice hockey player and older brother to Frank. He had a distinguished career in the National Hockey League, playing for the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins. He is considered one of the greatest goal scorers in professional hockey history and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959.
- Corinne Denneny: She is the former wife of Canadian musician, agency head, and record producer Brian Chater. These are the most famous people with the name Denneny. The Denneny family has a rich history in professional ice hockey, with two members having significant impact in the early days of the sport.