UK surname
Turkish name meaning "one of my people" or "belonging to me".
In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Benden surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25, ranked #36,324, down from #29,793 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benden is 191 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.4%.
1881 census count
27
Ranked #29,793
Modern count
25
2016, ranked #36,324
Peak year
1861
191 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Benden surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Benden surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 43 | #25,518 |
| 1861 | historical | 191 | #12,467 |
| 1881 | historical | 27 | #29,793 |
| 1891 | historical | 120 | #21,292 |
| 1901 | historical | 73 | #26,069 |
| 1911 | historical | 45 | #28,332 |
| 1997 | modern | 40 | #33,666 |
| 1998 | modern | 41 | #33,747 |
| 1999 | modern | 42 | #33,778 |
| 2000 | modern | 44 | #33,602 |
| 2001 | modern | 43 | #33,576 |
| 2002 | modern | 42 | #33,951 |
| 2003 | modern | 40 | #34,215 |
| 2004 | modern | 39 | #34,477 |
| 2005 | modern | 40 | #34,562 |
| 2006 | modern | 42 | #34,714 |
| 2007 | modern | 39 | #35,097 |
| 2008 | modern | 35 | #35,441 |
| 2009 | modern | 34 | #35,608 |
| 2010 | modern | 33 | #35,794 |
| 2011 | modern | 32 | #35,831 |
| 2012 | modern | 31 | #35,876 |
| 2013 | modern | 28 | #36,096 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 24 | #36,364 |
| 2016 | modern | 25 | #36,324 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Bedminster | Somerset |
| 3 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 4 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Benden surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Benden, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Benden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Benden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Benden is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Benden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Benden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BENDEN is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the northern provinces of Friesland and Groningen. Its earliest recorded spellings date back to the 16th century, with variations such as Benden, Bendon, and Bendun appearing in parish records and local manuscripts.
The name BENDEN is thought to be derived from the Old Frisian word "bende," which referred to a low-lying area or marshland. It is likely that the surname was originally an occupational name for someone who lived or worked near a marshy region or a topographical descriptor for an individual residing in such an area.
One of the earliest known bearers of the BENDEN surname was Gerrit Benden, a farmer recorded in the village of Uithuizen, Groningen, in the late 1500s. Another early record mentions Pieter Bendun, a merchant from Leeuwarden, Friesland, who was listed in the city's trade guild registers in the early 17th century.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the BENDEN name appeared in various Dutch records, including the baptismal registers of the Reformed Church in Amsterdam, where Jan Benden, a shipwright, had his son baptized in 1693. Another notable bearer was Dirk Benden, a renowned landscape painter from Haarlem, who lived from 1678 to 1743.
As the Dutch explored and settled in other parts of the world, the BENDEN surname spread to other regions. One notable figure was Willem Benden, a Dutch colonist who settled in the Cape Colony (present-day South Africa) in the late 17th century and became a successful farmer and landowner.
In the 19th century, the BENDEN name found its way to other parts of Europe and North America through immigration. For example, Johann Benden, a German immigrant from Westphalia, settled in Pennsylvania in the 1830s and became a prominent farmer in the region. Another bearer was Pieter Benden, a Dutch immigrant who arrived in New Zealand in the 1860s and established a successful sheep farming operation.
Throughout history, the BENDEN surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and professionals. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark in various regions and continues to be associated with its Dutch and Frisian origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benden surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Gloucestershire leads with 8 Bendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.50x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 8 | 15.50x |
| Somerset | 6 | 14.16x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 1.52x |
| Bedfordshire | 3 | 22.01x |
| Sussex | 2 | 4.51x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.92x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 1.85x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 9.27x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 2.91x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 5 Bendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.88x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 5 | 102.88x |
| Bristol St James In | 3 | 394.74x |
| Luton | 3 | 127.12x |
| Milverton | 3 | 1875.00x |
| Clayton | 2 | 1176.47x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 13.67x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 9.44x |
| Stogumber | 2 | 1818.18x |
| Llangarren | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Loughton | 1 | 384.62x |
| Lyndhurst | 1 | 666.67x |
| Porlock | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Yardley | 1 | 113.64x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Benden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Benden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Benden households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Boot & Shoe Finisher | 1 |
| Cabman | 1 |
| Cardboard Box Maker (Paper) | 1 |
| Cocoa Factory | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Draper | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Painter (House) | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Printer | 1 |
| Smith | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Benden surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 25 in 2016. That gives Benden a modern rank of #36,324.
Turkish name meaning "one of my people" or "belonging to me".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Benden bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.