My name is Alan Dench and with the support of several close members of the family we have been engaged in amateur genealogical research since 1970.

Our family history research over the last 50+ years began initially with an interest in the paternal family name, Dench.  However, this quickly expanded to include the maternal family name, Frost.   Over the last 40+ years this interest has grown to include many families related by marriage.  This has enabled us to create an extensive personal family history which is still being developed.  Our family of Dench ancestors originate in England from Worth, Sussex and Charlwood, Surrey.

In the course of our research so far we have focused on the spelling Dench.  

We are aware that the following spelling variations of this family name occur: Dench, Dence, Denns, Dance, Dentch, Dennish, Dennys (Old French)and Dane HouseofNames  https://www.houseofnames.com › dench-f   (20250127)

Denshe and Dench are considered to be medieval forms of Danish, with the Anglo-Saxon form is Denisc (British Surnames https://britishsurnames.co.uk › surname › dench)   (20250127)

While searching various databases on FindMyPast, MyHeritage and Ancestry the following variants have also been noted:

Dance, Densch, Densche, Dentch

We have not systematically evaluated any variation of the name Dench, though this may be considered in the future.

This name is of early medieval English origin, and is an ethnic surname given in the first instance to someone from Denmark. The name derives from the Middle English term 'dench, densch', Danish, a development of the Old English pre 7th Century word 'denisc'. It is thought that the Danes were probably originally named from an Old Germanic word similar to the Old English 'denu', valley, referring to the low-lying territory where they lived. The comparatively early recordings of the name in England reflect the fact that there were many Danes in medieval England, both recent immigrants and descendants of the first Danes to settle in what became 'the Danelaw' region, a large area of northern, central and eastern Anglo-Saxon England.  (Surname Database: https://surnamedb.com/Surname/Dench [20250128])

Some bearers of "Dennis" come from Danish roots, while others are of Norman stock. The more recent variation "Denmark" probably refers to a new Danish immigrant.  (HouseofNames https://www.houseofnames.com › dench-f…   20250127)

The earliest recorded bearer of the name was reputed to be a Norman knight named Robert le Daneis, who was a charter witness in 1133. (HouseofNames https://www.houseofnames.com › dench-f…   20250127).  This is provisional and needs to be verified.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Dench, which was dated 1327, The Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls, during the reign of King Edward 111, 'The Father of the Navy', 1327-1377.  These data need to be verified.   (Surname Database: https://surnamedb.com/Surname/Dench [20250128]).

Charles Thomas Dench (1793-1849), a British naval captain: and Robert Denmark (1809-1852), a naval surgeon. (To be verified)

Emigration to the USA:

• Eleanor Dench, who arrived in Virginia in 1759.
• Maria Jane Dench, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812
• J C Dench, aged 35, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 (Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8))
• Maria Jane Dench, aged 8, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 (Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
• Mariah E Dench, aged 32, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 (Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
• Conrad Dench, who was naturalized in Michigan in 1878

Emigration to Canada:

• John Dench, who was living in Ontario in 1871

Emigration to the West Indies:

• William Dench, who settled in Barbados in 1635
• William Dench, aged 16, who landed in Barbados in 1635 (Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) )
• Mr. William Dench, (b. 1619), aged 16, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 (Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm)

Emigration to Australia:

• John Dench, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 (State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm)
• Mary Ann Dench, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 (State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm)
• Jane Dench, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 (State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm)
• Mr. John Dench, British Convict who was convicted in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 12th March 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island).  (Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th December 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden

Emigration to New Zealand:

• James Dench, aged 38, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifford" in 1842
• Elizabeth Dench, aged 37, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifford" in 1842
• Mr. Robert Dench, (b. 1840), aged 24, British labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864  (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html)
• Mr. Thomas Dench, (b. 1844), aged 20, British labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html)
• Mr. Thomas Dench, (b. 1844), aged 24, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th January1869 

• Dame Judi Dench CH, DBE, FRSA (b. 1934), Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony, three-time BAFTA, and six-time Laurence Olivier Award-winning English actress, a National Treasure.
• Charles Edward Dench (1873-1958), Nottinghamshire County player, English first-class cricketer and Test match umpire.  He was a first cousin of my great grandfather, Frederick Henry Dench (1875-1958)
• Jeffery Danny Dench (1928-2014), English actor, best known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, older brother of actress Judi Dench
• David Dench (b. 1951), former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne (1969-1984)
• Michelle Dench, Australian sportswoman who played women's Australian rules football and basketball in the Women's National Basketball League, daughter of David Dench
• Ian Dench (b. 1964), British songwriter and musician for EMF, best known for their song "Unbelievable" in 1991

• Chris Dench (b. 1953), London-born Australian composer
• William Dench (b. 1797 -?), played cricket for Sussex in 1826. He was a first cousin of my 3x great grandfather, Robert Dench (1806-80).

In the 1980s we started to collect the names of all Dench's recorded in the Birth, Marriage and Death Registers of the UK (England and Wales) General Register Office.  This comprises a database of over 2,000 names covering the period form 1837-1960.  The continuation and validation of this project is assisted by the current availability of records on line. 

From this work we have began some family reconstructions to identify potential connections between different family groups. 

From records available in England between 1538 to 1850 it seems that the name 'Dench' appears to be most prevalent in the southern half of England below a line from the Wash (in the East) to the Severn Estuary (in the West).   The aim of this study is to build on these data.

We are aware that some with the name Dench emigrated to the Americas and the Caribbean, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.  The availability of records on line may make the establishment of global database, similar to the England and Wales database, a distinct possibility in the future.

1. BMD records from the GRO (England and Wales).

I have carried out a Y-700 DNA test at Family Tree DNA.  My confirmed Y-DNA Haplogroup is J-FTB62965.  The Haplogroup report is found at the link below:

https://discover.familytreedna.com/y-dna/J-FTB62965/story

Link to Dench Family Tree at MyHeritage;

DENCH01 Family Tree Website