Denekamp

This is a very unusual surname. Now recorded at least in England as Denacamp, Denekamp and Denecamp, but originally in London as Denecampf and Denecampt, it would appear to be a surname of French or perhaps Dutch-Flemish origins, although the spelling does not seem to exist in those countries. This suggests that the spelling has been transposed from something else, since neither does the name appear to have a meaning. Interestingly St Dunstans where all early recordings are to be found, has always been known as the sanctuary of the refugee, which may confirm that the family were probably of Huguenot ancestry. The surname would seem to have been first recorded in England in 1712 when John Denacamp married Mary Leonard at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney. Thereafter this couple appeared regularly in the registers of St Dunstans until 1727, although there is confusion because recordings of a James Dencamp, also given as being married to a wife called Mary appear in the same period! Examples of other recordings include John and wife Mary but spelt as Denecampt, who were christening witnesses to their son John, at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on March 2nd of that year, and in 1729 when Mary Denecampf, given as being the daughter of James and Mary Denecampf was also christened at St Dunstans on July 13th of that year. It would seem possible that we are dealing with two brothers or even the same person, given the appalling spelling of the period. Also possible is that earlier recordings do exist in another part of the United Kingdom.