This unusual name is a good example of local dialect acting as a "Concertina", to produce a surname spelt as it sounds. In this case, the origin is the old Yorkshire location "Dent Dale", which is locally pronounced "Dendle", and hence the surname in its modern form. The translation is from the Ancient British (B.C.) "dinn" meaning a hill, and "dael", a valley, or sometimes river. "Dent Dale", is first recorded in the Yorkshire Assize Court of the year 1200 in the reign of King John (1199 - 1216). The first surname recording is in London as shown, other records include Ann Dendall who married William Calvert at Skipton, Yorkshire on September 22nd 1794 and Thomas Dendle who married Susannah Errington at St. Matthew's church, Bethnal Green, London on June 29th 1848 in the reign of Queen Victoria, (1837 - 1901). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Christiana Dandell, which was dated June 11th 1558, married Bernhard Seabrocke at St. Katherines by the Tower, London, during the reign of Queen Mary 1, "Bloody Mary", 1554 - 1558. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.