Denison Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

Spellings drift, and Denison is where Dennison drifted for some families. The name is usually explained as “Son of Dennis”.

Spelling and variants

Denison drops the “n” of Dennison, a shortening that clerks often made. You may also find the name written Denson and Denniston.

6,490 Americans were listed as Denison in the 2010 census. That puts it inside the top 10,000 US surnames.

Family crest and blazon

Looking for a Denison coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours.

Want more than a summary? See the Denison family name pack.