Dane Name Meaning, Facts & Family History

Here are some key details about the surname Dane:
- Origin and Meaning: It is an English surname derived from the Old English personal name Dain or Dane, meaning "Dane" or someone from Denmark. It originally denoted Danish settlers in England during the Viking Age.
- Early Usage: The surname has been in use since the Middle Ages. Some of the earliest records include Wuluric Dane in the 1130 Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire and Roger le Dane in the 1173 Pipe Rolls of Devon.
- Variant Spellings: Common spelling variants include Daine, Dayne, Daines, Danes.
- Distribution: Dane remains most common as a surname in eastern England. Notable early concentrations were found in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
- Families: Some of the earliest attested noble houses bearing the name were the Danes of Essex in the 13th century. Other early notable families include the Danes of Little Massingham in Norfolk and the Danes of Grateley in Hampshire.
- Present Day: As of the last UK census in 2011, the surname Dane ranks as the 5,067th most common surname with about 4,300 occurrences. It remains most prevalent in East Anglia.
- Notable Bearers: Contemporary bearers include British actress Anne Dane (b.1938) and American football player Nathan Dane (b.1984). Historically, Samuel Dane (1715-1774) was a Congregationalist minister and delegate in Massachusetts.
So in summary, Dane is an old Anglo-Danish surname that originated among Viking settlers but became established in medieval England, especially in the east. It remains most common in that region today.

Here are some potential facts about the surname Dane:
- It's an English and Danish surname originating from the country/region of Denmark. People with Danish roots often had the surname Dane or Danesen.
- In Old English, "Dane" referred to someone from Denmark or of Danish descent. It may have begun being used as a surname for those with Danish heritage.
- According to surname databases, there are a few thousand people with the last name Dane or Danes in English speaking countries today. It ranks around the 8,000th most common surname.
- Some believe the name is tied to the Latin "Dacia" originally, which was a region the Danes of ancient times inhabited. Over time it evolved into Dane.
- Early bearers of the Dane name include Ailric Dane noted 1086 in the Domesday Book census. Another early example is Walter Dane in 1327 in County Sussex, England.
- The highest concentrations of people with the surname today are found in England and Australia, countries that saw significant Danish immigration over the last few centuries.
- Some notable individuals with the name include British actor Christian Bale (birth name Christian Dane), American actress Stella Dane, and Australian politician Adrian Dane.
- A coat of arms associated with Dane families features a red shield with three silver horse heads facing left. The crest above the shield contains a gold griffin holding a sword.

Here are some famous people with the last name Dane:
- Dana Dane (born 1965) - American hip hop recording artist and actor best known for albums like Dana Dane with Fame and Make Room for the Pro
- Nathan Dane (1752-1835) - American lawyer and politician who helped draft the Northwest Ordinance
- Erik Dane (born 1972) - Danish composer and pianist known for avant-garde and minimalist music
- Clemence Dane (1888-1965) - English novelist and playwright best known for the play A Bill of Divorcement
- Justin Dane (born 1980) - Canadian country music singer-songwriter with hits like "Riding Shotgun"
- Richard Dane (1796–1874) - American politician, lawyer and judge who served in the Massachusetts legislature
- Eric Dane (born 1972) - American actor known for roles in shows like Grey's Anatomy and films like Valentine's Day
- Jane Dane (1663–1757) - English acting pioneer who was one of the first female performers to appear on the English stage
- Joseph Dane (born 1946) - American literature professor at the University of Southern Maine who studies Old English and maritime literature