Re: what an odd last name.
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In reply to:
what an odd last name.
David Dancer 7/22/04
As far as I've been able to research the origins of my branch of the Dancer family in Britain, they were a noble and influencial Hugenot (French Protestant) family who came from Lorraine (where Baccarat glass originates) in the late 1600's (possibly earlier, when Catherine de Medici was slaughtering them in France) with expertise in glass technology. Its possible that 'Dancer' is an anglicization of D'Hennezil (pronounced Den-zee) which became Dancey and also Henzey. At any rate, wherever there were early glass works in England (Stourbridge was the earliest), there you will find families with the Dancer surname. Glass works had to move from place to place as the forests were depleted to fuel the glass kilns. Dancers were recruited to Ireland subsequently, and were involved with the establishment of Waterford crystal and leaded glass technology. They were rewarded for their knowledge by Charles II with a baronacy and a family seat in Tipperary which lasted 7 generations. I intend to do further research into the Dancer history with regards to their earlier contribution to cathedral glass (ie. Chartres, etc) and also to trace the family's decent from Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitain with the marriage oftheir decendantAlicia Lancaster to Richard Dansay in the 1500's. If you want to know more, contact me.