NameCensus.

UK surname

Bendon

A habitational surname originating in the English town of Bendon.

In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Bendon surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 319, ranked #14,121, up from #16,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dixton Newton, Llanrouthall, London parishes and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Monmouthshire and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bendon is 338 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.4%.

1881 census count

130

Ranked #16,911

Modern count

319

2016, ranked #14,121

Peak year

2002

338 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bendon had 130 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016, ranked #14,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bendon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bendon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bendon 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 130 #16,911
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 221 #14,044
1997 modern 296 #13,646
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 325 #13,257
2000 modern 308 #13,685
2001 modern 310 #13,452
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 322 #13,192
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 314 #13,403
2006 modern 325 #13,165
2007 modern 327 #13,229
2008 modern 317 #13,632
2009 modern 322 #13,741
2010 modern 307 #14,485
2011 modern 310 #14,292
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 318 #14,160
2014 modern 319 #14,216
2015 modern 318 #14,155
2016 modern 319 #14,121

Geography

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Where Bendons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dixton Newton, Llanrouthall, London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and Christ Church Spitalfields. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Monmouthshire, North Hertfordshire and Poole. 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 Dixton Newton, Llanrouthall Monmouthshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 010 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
3 North Hertfordshire 009 North Hertfordshire
4 Monmouthshire 006 Monmouthshire
5 Poole 016 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bendon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bendon

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bendon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bendon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bendon is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Bendon is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bendon falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bendon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bendon

The surname Bendon has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon territories of England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "benn", meaning a hill or a mound, combined with the suffix "-don", indicating a place or location. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name referring to a settlement on or near a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1199, where a certain John de Bendon is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, which often contained references to individuals and their places of origin.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1214, which mention a William de Bendon. These rolls were legal records maintained by the royal court, and their inclusion of individuals with the Bendon surname indicates the name's establishment in medieval England.

In the 14th century, the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, where a John de Bendon is listed. These rolls were tax records used to assess and collect subsidies, providing insight into the distribution of the Bendon surname across different regions of England.

One notable historical figure bearing the Bendon surname was Sir John Bendon (c. 1470 - 1551), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1535 and played a significant role in the city's affairs during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another individual of note was William Bendon (c. 1610 - 1680), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1676 to 1680. He was also a skilled linguist and contributed to the study of ancient languages.

In the 18th century, the name appears in connection with the Bendon family of Essex, who were prominent landowners and held the manor of Bendon in the parish of Radwinter. One member of this family, Edward Bendon (1710 - 1782), was a respected lawyer and served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon from 1761 to 1768.

The 19th century saw the rise of Richard Bendon (1810 - 1892), a successful businessman and industrialist from Birmingham. He founded the Bendon Sanitary Engineering Company, which became a leading manufacturer of plumbing and sanitary products in Victorian England.

Throughout its history, the surname Bendon has been associated with various place names and locations in England, such as Bendon in Oxfordshire, Bendon Hills in Hampshire, and Bendon Brook in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely originated from the same root as the surname, further highlighting the name's connection to geographic features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bendon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bendon 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. Middlesex leads with 45 Bendons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 3.66x
Glamorgan 12 5.61x
Somerset 11 5.56x
Gloucestershire 9 3.73x
Lancashire 9 0.62x
Suffolk 8 5.34x
Yorkshire 8 0.66x
Northumberland 7 3.83x
Devon 5 1.95x
Herefordshire 4 7.94x
Cumberland 3 2.84x
Derbyshire 2 1.04x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.28x
Kent 1 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 11 Bendons recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.05x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 11 119.05x
Bethnal Green London 10 18.73x
Cardiff St Mary 10 84.82x
Liverpool 9 10.16x
Thornhill 8 225.35x
Williton 8 1212.12x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 64.10x
Newland 7 344.83x
Whitechapel London 7 57.80x
Woodbridge 7 366.49x
Hammersmith London 5 16.51x
Stoke Damerel 5 27.93x
Llanrothall 4 5000.00x
Shoreditch London 4 7.51x
Cockermouth 3 134.53x
Paddington London 3 6.64x
Stoke Newington London 3 31.35x
Wellington 3 111.94x
Bristol St James In 2 56.50x
Mile End Old Town London 2 7.65x
Wingfield South 2 384.62x
Botesdale 1 434.78x
Leckwith 1 200.00x
Llandaff 1 14.04x
Newmarket All Sts 1 175.44x
Northfleet 1 27.10x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Jane 6
Emma 4
Kate 4
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Deborah 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Phoebe 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Alty 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizab. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
George 7
William 7
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Elias 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Robert 2
Solomon 2
Arthur 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Emanel 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Moss 1
Naphtali 1
Phillip 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bendon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bendon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Bendon surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bendon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016. That gives Bendon a modern rank of #14,121.

What does the Bendon surname mean?

A habitational surname originating in the English town of Bendon.

What does the Bendon map show?

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