NameCensus.

UK surname

Bendle

Derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Benwell or Bendal.

In the 1881 census there were 323 people recorded with the Bendle surname, ranking it #9,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 454, ranked #10,732, down from #9,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Molton, Highbray, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Mid Devon and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bendle is 490 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.6%.

1881 census count

323

Ranked #9,240

Modern count

454

2016, ranked #10,732

Peak year

1999

490 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bendle had 323 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016, ranked #10,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 461 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bendle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bendle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bendle 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 323 #9,240
1891 historical 355 #9,721
1901 historical 370 #10,017
1911 historical 461 #8,344
1997 modern 474 #9,693
1998 modern 487 #9,794
1999 modern 490 #9,811
2000 modern 483 #9,891
2001 modern 472 #9,873
2002 modern 485 #9,846
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 481 #9,779
2005 modern 455 #10,126
2006 modern 440 #10,435
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 466 #10,162
2009 modern 488 #10,048
2010 modern 484 #10,288
2011 modern 465 #10,511
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 458 #10,694
2014 modern 458 #10,749
2015 modern 454 #10,751
2016 modern 454 #10,732

Geography

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Where Bendles are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Mid Devon, Wiltshire, Neath Port Talbot 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 North Molton, Highbray Devon
2 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Llanguick Glamorganshire
5 Burrington Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 013 North Devon
2 Mid Devon 003 Mid Devon
3 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
4 Neath Port Talbot 007 Neath Port Talbot
5 Swansea 005 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bendle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bendle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bendle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bendle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bendle is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bendle is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bendle falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bendle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bendle

The surname BENDLE is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from a locational name, possibly referring to a place in the county of Bedfordshire or a similar-sounding area.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror. This suggests that the BENDLE surname may have been established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are references to a William Bendel recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1230. This variation in spelling, Bendel, may indicate an earlier form of the surname or a localized pronunciation.

During the 16th century, the BENDLE surname appears to have been concentrated in the county of Bedfordshire, with records showing individuals such as John Bendle, born in 1542 in the village of Dunstable, and Thomas Bendle, born in 1568 in the town of Leighton Buzzard.

Notable individuals with the BENDLE surname throughout history include Sir Robert Bendle (1593-1671), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Maldon in Essex during the 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Bendle (1701-1768), a renowned architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London during the Georgian era.

In the 19th century, the BENDLE name gained recognition through the works of Charles Bendle (1819-1892), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes. His artworks were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries in Britain.

Other noteworthy individuals with the BENDLE surname include Reverend John Bendle (1832-1901), an Anglican clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bedfordshire, and Sir Edward Bendle (1874-1946), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the local community in his hometown of Birmingham.

While the BENDLE surname may have originated from a specific location in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, likely through migration and the movement of people over the centuries. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to medieval England, particularly in the counties of Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bendle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bendle 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. Glamorgan leads with 61 Bendles recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.12x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 61 11.12x
Devon 52 7.93x
Cumberland 38 14.01x
Hampshire 36 5.57x
Somerset 32 6.31x
Middlesex 29 0.92x
Northumberland 15 3.20x
Yorkshire 13 0.42x
Wiltshire 10 3.59x
Herefordshire 8 6.19x
Gloucestershire 7 1.13x
Monmouthshire 7 3.07x
Surrey 3 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.05x
Cheshire 2 0.29x
Cornwall 2 0.56x
Warwickshire 2 0.25x
Durham 1 0.11x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 2.66x
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. Coedfrank in Glamorgan leads with 21 Bendles recorded in 1881 and an index of 552.63x.

Place Total Index
Coedfrank 21 552.63x
Llanguick 17 172.94x
Hackney London 16 9.06x
Bedminster 13 27.28x
Westgate 13 44.78x
Eglwysilan 11 115.55x
Penton Mewsey 11 3548.39x
St Mary Bourne 11 940.17x
Frome 10 82.44x
Barnstaple 9 87.46x
Clase 8 39.22x
South Molton 8 222.22x
Risca 7 163.17x
St Mary Within 7 206.49x
Wetheral 7 194.99x
Filleigh 6 1621.62x
Hope Under Dinmore 6 1132.08x
Penton Grafton 6 1200.00x
Scaleby 6 1200.00x
Sharlston 6 292.68x
Brampton 5 134.41x
Cheriton Bishop 5 781.25x
East Stonehouse 5 38.70x
Eling 5 76.45x
Glastonbury 5 120.77x
Newland 5 96.34x
Northmolton 5 1282.05x
Bromley London 4 5.77x
Rickergate 4 69.69x
St Pancras London 4 1.58x
Walton 4 930.23x
Blackawton 3 263.16x
Boyton 3 909.09x
Burrington 3 361.45x
Eston 3 44.12x
Exeter Heavitree 3 61.35x
Idle 3 20.72x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 48.62x
Melksham 3 61.98x
Birkenhead 2 3.61x
Bradford On Avon 2 22.42x
Bristol St Augustine 2 20.06x
Byker 2 8.63x
East Tytherley 2 487.80x
Hutton 2 540.54x
Ladock 2 198.02x
Linslade 2 106.95x
Low Holme 2 130.72x
North Molton 2 156.25x
Richmond 2 9.30x
Rodbourne Cheney 2 93.02x
St Marylebone London 2 1.19x
Bishops Nympton 1 80.00x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.02x
Caldewgate 1 6.73x
Cannington 1 66.23x
Charles 1 357.14x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.92x
Foy 1 285.71x
Hatton 1 95.24x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.46x
Holdenhurst 1 5.90x
Kensington London 1 0.57x
Kingwater 1 277.78x
Liverpool 1 0.44x
Llanwonno 1 5.07x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.49x
Paddington London 1 0.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.98x
Reigate Foreign 1 6.02x
Ross 1 19.46x
Royal Navy 1 3.12x
Sedburgh 1 76.92x
St Cuthbert Within 1 31.85x
Weston 1 25.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 12
Jane 10
Ann 8
Annie 7
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Maria 5
Ada 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Bessie 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Elizath. 1
Emily 1
Eunice 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Sarrah 1
Stepdaur 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 19
James 15
George 13
Thomas 11
Charles 10
Henry 6
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Frank 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Jno. 2
Walter 2
Ernest 1
Eublias 1
Evan 1
Fredric 1
Henery 1
Immanuel 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Johnathan 1
Jonathan 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Sutton 1
Thos.J. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bendle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bendle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 323 people were recorded with the Bendle surname. That placed it at #9,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bendle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016. That gives Bendle a modern rank of #10,732.

What does the Bendle surname mean?

Derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Benwell or Bendal.

What does the Bendle map show?

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