NameCensus.

UK surname

Benefer

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Benefer surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 177, ranked #21,230, up from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benefer is 198 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 331.7%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

177

2016, ranked #21,230

Peak year

2011

198 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Benefer had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016, ranked #21,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Benefer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Benefer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benefer 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 167 #19,722
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 175 #19,798
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 161 #20,925
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 168 #20,227
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 183 #19,553
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 194 #19,398
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 177 #21,230

Geography

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Where Benefers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 005 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 006 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benefer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benefer

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Benefer is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Benefer 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

Benefer falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Benefer 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 Benefer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Benefer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benefer 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. Norfolk leads with 41 Benefers recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.68x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 41 66.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Lynn St Margaret in Norfolk leads with 30 Benefers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1621.62x.

Place Total Index
Kings Lynn St Margaret 30 1621.62x
Grimston 11 6875.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 4
James 3
William 3
John 2
Robert 2
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
George 1
Henry 1
Peter 1

Top occupations

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 Benefer households.

FAQ

Benefer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benefer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Benefer surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benefer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 177 in 2016. That gives Benefer a modern rank of #21,230.

What does the Benefer map show?

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