NameCensus.

UK surname

Bending

An occupational surname referring to one who shaped or bent objects, likely metal.

In the 1881 census there were 333 people recorded with the Bending surname, ranking it #9,038 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #9,038 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lewisham, Rewe and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Exeter and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bending is 475 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.0%.

1881 census count

333

Ranked #9,038

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

1998

475 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bending had 333 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,038 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 416 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bending surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bending surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bending 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 163 #12,156
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 333 #9,038
1891 historical 347 #9,894
1901 historical 358 #10,269
1911 historical 416 #9,028
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 475 #9,982
1999 modern 468 #10,160
2000 modern 459 #10,261
2001 modern 449 #10,254
2002 modern 455 #10,349
2003 modern 432 #10,635
2004 modern 418 #10,923
2005 modern 391 #11,378
2006 modern 394 #11,383
2007 modern 402 #11,338
2008 modern 397 #11,556
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 404 #11,902
2011 modern 405 #11,765
2012 modern 388 #11,996
2013 modern 406 #11,790
2014 modern 413 #11,726
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Bendings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lewisham, Rewe, London parishes, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Gloucestershire, Exeter, West Devon, Weymouth and Portland and Swansea. 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 Lewisham London (South Districts)
2 Rewe Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Gloucestershire 011 South Gloucestershire
2 Exeter 006 Exeter
3 West Devon 001 West Devon
4 Weymouth and Portland 002 Weymouth and Portland
5 Swansea 030 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bending

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bending

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bending, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bending surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bending household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bending is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bending is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bending 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 Bending is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bending

The surname Bending is of Anglo-Saxon origin, first appearing in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "bending" or "bending" meaning "a dweller at the bend or winding stream."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bendingis." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Bending family appeared to be concentrated primarily in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Records from this period show variations in spelling, including "Bendyng," "Bendynge," and "Bendinge."

Notable individuals with the surname Bending include John Bending, a 15th-century merchant from Bristol, who is mentioned in the city's trade records from the year 1463. Another early reference is to William Bending, a landowner in the village of Swinbrook, Oxfordshire, whose name appears in the parish records of 1527.

In the 16th century, the Bending family seems to have expanded its reach, with records showing members residing in various parts of southern England, including Dorset, Hampshire, and Sussex. One notable figure from this period is Richard Bending (1555-1628), a wealthy landowner and benefactor who funded the construction of a new church in the village of Wootton, Oxfordshire.

The 17th century saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the Bending surname, including Sir Henry Bending (1603-1677), a member of Parliament and staunch Royalist during the English Civil War. Another notable figure was John Bending (1625-1699), a renowned scholar and author who served as the headmaster of Merchant Taylors' School in London.

As the Bending family continued to prosper and spread across England, they produced several notable individuals in the 18th and 19th centuries. These include William Bending (1738-1812), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol, and Sir James Bending (1789-1856), a distinguished military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bending families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bending 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. Devon leads with 135 Bendings recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.91x.

County Total Index
Devon 135 19.91x
Somerset 57 10.87x
Middlesex 43 1.32x
Gloucestershire 22 3.44x
Glamorgan 18 3.17x
Kent 16 1.44x
Northamptonshire 12 3.92x
Lancashire 8 0.21x
Hampshire 4 0.60x
Yorkshire 4 0.12x
Monmouthshire 3 1.27x
Surrey 3 0.19x
Sussex 2 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Derbyshire 1 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.28x
Norfolk 1 0.20x
Northumberland 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 2.58x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Decumans Watchet in Somerset leads with 27 Bendings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2030.08x.

Place Total Index
St Decumans Watchet 27 2030.08x
Plymouth St Andrew 21 40.20x
Ottery St Mary 16 359.55x
Cardiff St Mary 14 44.80x
Honiton 14 373.33x
Lewisham 14 23.62x
Northampton Priory St 12 65.25x
Lyncombe Widcombe 10 72.83x
Bradninch 9 471.20x
Feniton 9 2250.00x
Shoreditch London 9 6.37x
Cadbury 8 2666.67x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 51.51x
Stapleton 8 66.01x
Silverton 7 496.45x
High Bickington 6 779.22x
Mile End Old Town London 6 8.65x
Offwell 6 1621.62x
Islington London 5 1.58x
Rewe 5 1562.50x
Sidmouth 5 128.87x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 35.44x
Wilton 5 364.96x
Winterbourne 5 141.64x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.83x
Bromley London 4 5.58x
Cirencester 4 46.24x
Holdenhurst 4 22.83x
Liverpool 4 1.70x
Over Darwen 4 12.95x
St Marylebone London 4 2.30x
Williton 4 227.27x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 4.99x
Chard 3 47.24x
Exeter St David 3 51.81x
Farringdon 3 882.35x
Leeds 3 1.65x
Llandaff 3 15.90x
Chatham 2 6.54x
Cheam 2 117.65x
Cotleigh 2 1052.63x
Exeter Heavitree 2 39.53x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 28.94x
Grosmont 2 256.41x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 17.06x
Misterton 2 270.27x
Plymouth Charles The 2 6.69x
Tavistock 2 25.91x
Trull 2 186.92x
Wellington 2 28.13x
Alfreton 1 6.45x
Aylesbeare 1 102.04x
Brinsworth 1 66.67x
Bristol All Sts 1 666.67x
Broad Clist 1 42.74x
Croydon 1 1.13x
Ealing 1 3.43x
East Teignmouth 1 36.10x
Exeter Allhallows On The 1 90.09x
Heston 1 9.24x
Leek Lowe 1 6.84x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.14x
Llanover 1 12.44x
Longbenton 1 4.87x
Neath 1 8.67x
Newland 1 18.62x
North Petherton 1 23.64x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 39.84x
Royal Navy 1 3.01x
Sampford Arundell 1 400.00x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.35x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.74x
St Mary Magdalen Old Fish 1 714.29x
Stockland 1 102.04x
Tintwistle 1 26.04x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 11
Emily 9
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Ann 7
Emma 7
Jane 5
Louisa 4
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Rosala 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Arabella 1
Betsey 1
C. 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
George 1
Grace 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kezia 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 17
James 15
George 12
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Walter 7
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Wm. 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Willm. 3
Arthur 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Silas 2
Andrew 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Lewis 1
Norman 1
R. 1
Ranelagh 1
Rich 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Bending surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bending surname in 1881?

In 1881, 333 people were recorded with the Bending surname. That placed it at #9,038 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bending surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Bending a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Bending surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who shaped or bent objects, likely metal.

What does the Bending map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bending 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.