NameCensus.

UK surname

Benbow

Derived from a place name meaning "bean hill" in Old English, likely referring to a hill where beans were grown.

In the 1881 census there were 1,183 people recorded with the Benbow surname, ranking it #3,404 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,510, ranked #4,096, down from #3,404 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wolverhampton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benbow is 1,583 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.6%.

1881 census count

1,183

Ranked #3,404

Modern count

1,510

2016, ranked #4,096

Peak year

2002

1,583 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Benbow had 1,183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,404 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,510 in 2016, ranked #4,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,555 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Benbow surname distribution map

The map shows where the Benbow surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Benbow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benbow over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 863 #3,154
1861 historical 684 #3,936
1881 historical 1,183 #3,404
1891 historical 1,195 #3,585
1901 historical 1,554 #3,313
1911 historical 1,555 #3,117
1997 modern 1,475 #3,970
1998 modern 1,565 #3,903
1999 modern 1,560 #3,948
2000 modern 1,563 #3,928
2001 modern 1,523 #3,936
2002 modern 1,583 #3,892
2003 modern 1,532 #3,924
2004 modern 1,549 #3,885
2005 modern 1,501 #3,961
2006 modern 1,524 #3,908
2007 modern 1,516 #3,963
2008 modern 1,516 #3,985
2009 modern 1,536 #4,029
2010 modern 1,566 #4,036
2011 modern 1,550 #4,030
2012 modern 1,497 #4,096
2013 modern 1,533 #4,073
2014 modern 1,547 #4,061
2015 modern 1,521 #4,086
2016 modern 1,510 #4,096

Geography

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Where Benbows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wolverhampton, London parishes and Llanidloes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Powys and Caerphilly. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Llanidloes Montgomeryshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 013 Shropshire
2 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Powys 006 Powys
4 Powys 010 Powys
5 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benbow

These lists show first names that appear often with the Benbow surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benbow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Benbow, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Benbow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Benbow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Benbow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Benbow is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Benbow falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Benbow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Benbow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Benbow

The surname Benbow is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Dorset and Devon, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "bene" meaning "bean" and "beorh" meaning "hill" or "mound," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a hill where beans were grown.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benbow can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is mentioned in reference to a landowner named Benbow in the village of Benbow, located in Dorset.

In the 13th century, a John Benbow was recorded as owning land in the village of Benbow, which was also known as "Beneburgh" at the time. This suggests that the surname may have originated from a place name rather than a descriptive nickname.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname Benbow. One of the most famous was John Benbow (1653-1702), an English naval officer who served as Vice Admiral of the Blue during the War of the Spanish Succession. He was instrumental in several victories against the French and Spanish fleets.

Another prominent figure was William Benbow (1618-1680), an English author and clergyman who published several religious works, including "A Prospect of Re-united Principles" and "A Treatise on the Last Judgment."

In the 18th century, James Benbow (1737-1817) was a renowned English architect known for his work on several churches and country houses in the Georgian style. His most notable projects include St. Mary's Church in Beverley and Benbow Hall, a grand manor house in Lincolnshire.

The 19th century saw the rise of Richard Benbow (1811-1884), a successful English businessman and industrialist who established the Benbow Ironworks in Birmingham. His company played a significant role in the industrial revolution, producing various iron and steel products.

In the early 20th century, William Benbow (1884-1959) was a prominent English artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings. He was a member of the Royal Society of British Artists and exhibited his works regularly at the Royal Academy.

The surname Benbow continues to be found throughout England and other parts of the world, with various spellings and variations such as Benbowe, Benbo, and Benbough.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Benbow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benbow surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Montgomeryshire leads with 205 Benbows recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.26x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 205 77.26x
Staffordshire 169 4.32x
Shropshire 103 10.30x
Middlesex 97 0.84x
Warwickshire 94 3.22x
Surrey 81 1.44x
Lancashire 72 0.52x
Worcestershire 70 4.63x
Buckinghamshire 40 5.71x
Herefordshire 40 8.43x
Essex 34 1.49x
Cheshire 31 1.21x
Cardiganshire 15 5.31x
Northamptonshire 15 1.38x
Sussex 13 0.67x
Glamorgan 11 0.55x
Hampshire 11 0.46x
Kent 10 0.25x
Yorkshire 10 0.09x
Devon 8 0.33x
Radnorshire 7 7.49x
Hertfordshire 6 0.75x
Oxfordshire 6 0.84x
Durham 5 0.15x
Leicestershire 5 0.39x
Gloucestershire 4 0.18x
Norfolk 4 0.22x
Royal Navy 3 2.17x
Wiltshire 3 0.29x
Bedfordshire 2 0.33x
Denbighshire 2 0.46x
Monmouthshire 2 0.24x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.44x
Isle of Man 1 0.47x
Merionethshire 1 0.47x
Northumberland 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 62 Benbows recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.37x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 62 6.37x
Wolverhampton 43 14.31x
Llanidloes 36 183.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 32 7.72x
Newtown 31 182.68x
St Pancras London 23 2.47x
Meifod 22 349.21x
West Bromwich 22 9.83x
Aberhafesp 21 1242.60x
Lambeth 21 2.08x
Romford 20 55.36x
Aston 19 2.36x
Church Stretton 18 268.26x
West Derby 18 4.48x
Stone 17 34.01x
Guilsfield 15 155.44x
Penge 15 20.28x
Everton 14 3.20x
Shrewsbury St Mary 14 35.47x
Llanllwchaiarn 13 113.14x
Winslow 13 197.27x
Bermondsey 12 3.48x
Llandinam 12 195.44x
Tipton 12 10.03x
Battersea 10 2.35x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.99x
Claines 10 24.10x
Dudley 10 5.44x
Aberystwyth 9 200.45x
Astley Abbotts 9 364.37x
Croydon 9 2.87x
Llanwnog Surnant 9 652.17x
Oswestry Town 9 28.10x
Tedstone Delamere 9 909.09x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 9.18x
Eccleshall 8 53.98x
Kings Pyon 8 446.93x
St Giles In Fields London 8 14.08x
West Firle 8 352.42x
Bow Brickhill 7 384.62x
Hallow 7 94.59x
Islington London 7 0.62x
Kerry 7 87.72x
Liverpool 7 0.84x
Madeley 7 19.08x
Stourbridge 7 17.99x
Tottenham 7 3.80x
Widnes 7 7.06x
Aberystwith 6 24.68x
Ashley 6 188.09x
Barrow 6 441.18x
Cound 6 317.46x
Davenham 6 258.62x
Headington 6 54.05x
Linthorpe 6 8.76x
Little Hereford 6 359.28x
Loughton 6 468.75x
Newington 6 1.40x
Portsea 6 1.29x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.94x
Wellingborough 6 10.96x
West Ham 6 1.19x
Acton 5 7.37x
Aylesbury 5 16.12x
Barnard Castle 5 29.36x
Bettws 5 220.26x
Kensington London 5 0.78x
Little Kyre 5 980.39x
Llanfihangel 5 152.44x
Llanmerewig 5 396.83x
Llanwnog 5 90.25x
Plumstead 5 3.80x
Presteigne 5 84.32x
Shoreditch London 5 1.00x
Llanfair Caereinion 4 44.15x
Manchester 4 0.65x
Paignton 4 21.81x
Pool 4 19.99x
Toxteth Park 4 0.86x
Tranmere 4 4.26x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Benbow surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Benbow surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 86
William 71
George 43
Thomas 40
Richard 32
James 31
Edward 30
Charles 29
David 19
Henry 17
Arthur 15
Joseph 15
Alfred 10
Frederick 10
Jonathan 7
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Benjamin 6
Harry 6
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Chas. 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Admiral 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Maurice 2
Noah 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Robert 2
Allen 1
Austin 1
Bertie 1
Clifton 1
Cyril 1
Demetrius 1
Denis 1
Derwent 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Henrick 1
Horace 1
Hyla 1
Jeremiah 1

FAQ

Benbow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benbow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,183 people were recorded with the Benbow surname. That placed it at #3,404 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benbow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,510 in 2016. That gives Benbow a modern rank of #4,096.

What does the Benbow surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "bean hill" in Old English, likely referring to a hill where beans were grown.

What does the Benbow map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Benbow bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.