NameCensus.

UK surname

Bennie

From the pet form of the given name Benjamin, meaning "son of the right hand."

In the 1881 census there were 837 people recorded with the Bennie surname, ranking it #4,505 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,126, ranked #5,236, down from #4,505 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Laurieston and Westquarter, Linlithgow South and Linlithgow Bridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bennie is 1,167 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.5%.

1881 census count

837

Ranked #4,505

Modern count

1,126

2016, ranked #5,236

Peak year

2010

1,167 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bennie had 837 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,505 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,126 in 2016, ranked #5,236.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,092 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bennie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bennie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bennie 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 717 #3,647
1861 historical 820 #3,360
1881 historical 837 #4,505
1891 historical 924 #4,475
1901 historical 1,092 #4,423
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 1,083 #5,142
1998 modern 1,115 #5,200
1999 modern 1,110 #5,257
2000 modern 1,111 #5,231
2001 modern 1,085 #5,230
2002 modern 1,105 #5,253
2003 modern 1,105 #5,164
2004 modern 1,109 #5,154
2005 modern 1,106 #5,107
2006 modern 1,094 #5,163
2007 modern 1,105 #5,167
2008 modern 1,122 #5,132
2009 modern 1,145 #5,154
2010 modern 1,167 #5,160
2011 modern 1,122 #5,285
2012 modern 1,115 #5,228
2013 modern 1,112 #5,322
2014 modern 1,104 #5,382
2015 modern 1,105 #5,332
2016 modern 1,126 #5,236

Geography

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Where Bennies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Laurieston and Westquarter, Linlithgow South, Linlithgow Bridge, Barlanark and Brightons and Wallacestone. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Laurieston and Westquarter Falkirk
2 Linlithgow South West Lothian
3 Linlithgow Bridge West Lothian
4 Barlanark Glasgow City
5 Brightons and Wallacestone Falkirk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bennie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bennie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bennie, 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 Bennie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bennie 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bennie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Bennie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bennie falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bennie

The surname Bennie is believed to have originated in Scotland, possibly in the 12th or 13th century. It is likely derived from the Gaelic word "beann," meaning "hill" or "mountain." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a hilly or mountainous region.

One of the earliest known records of the name Bennie can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Benne" in this record.

During the 16th century, the name Bennie was also associated with the Scottish Borders region, where variations like "Benny" and "Bennye" were more common. Some records from this period mention individuals with the surname Bennie living in towns like Jedburgh and Melrose.

In the 17th century, the Bennie surname began to appear in parish records and court documents across various parts of Scotland, including Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. One notable individual from this time was John Bennie, a merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who was born in 1612 and played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce.

The 18th century saw the rise of several prominent Bennies, including James Bennie, a Scottish writer and biographer born in 1768. He is best known for his work "The Pursuit of Literature," published in 1798, which explored the lives of various literary figures.

Another notable figure from this period was William Bennie, a Scottish architect born in 1774. He designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Regent Bridge and the Dean Bridge, which are still standing today.

In the 19th century, the Bennie surname continued to spread across Scotland and beyond. One notable individual was Alexander Bennie, a Scottish civil engineer born in 1823. He was involved in the construction of several major railway projects in Scotland and England, including the Forth Bridge.

Throughout its history, the Bennie surname has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and writers to architects and engineers. While it may have originated as a descriptive name for those living in hilly regions, it has since become a well-established Scottish surname with a rich heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bennie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bennie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 219 Bennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.38x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 219 8.38x
Stirlingshire 214 71.84x
Renfrewshire 79 12.62x
West Lothian 64 52.62x
Ayrshire 63 10.42x
Midlothian 42 3.88x
Dunbartonshire 21 9.68x
Angus 17 2.27x
Lancashire 17 0.18x
Worcestershire 17 1.61x
Fife 8 1.67x
Selkirkshire 8 10.95x
Yorkshire 8 0.10x
Kinross-shire 7 34.28x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.67x
Warwickshire 5 0.25x
Argyllshire 4 1.78x
Devon 4 0.24x
Leicestershire 4 0.45x
Lincolnshire 4 0.31x
Perthshire 4 1.10x
Sussex 3 0.22x
Middlesex 2 0.02x
Royal Navy 2 2.08x
Banffshire 1 0.60x
Buteshire 1 2.04x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.04x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.41x
Northumberland 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Polmont in Stirlingshire leads with 80 Bennies recorded in 1881 and an index of 727.27x.

Place Total Index
Polmont 80 727.27x
Barony 69 10.44x
Govan 61 9.44x
Abbey 37 38.74x
Falkirk 31 44.46x
Bathgate 30 113.59x
Glasgow 30 6.47x
Dreghorn 26 237.66x
Kilsyth 26 136.91x
Linlithgow 22 141.03x
South Leith 20 16.43x
St Ninians 19 64.34x
Denny 17 107.26x
Campsie 14 85.63x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 14 3.22x
Kirkintilloch 13 44.08x
Eastwood 12 31.13x
Cadder 11 57.02x
Dalry 11 38.68x
Kidderminster Foreign 11 73.78x
Maryhill 11 21.51x
Paisley High Church 10 20.06x
Bothwell 9 12.70x
Muiravonside 9 118.89x
Slamannan 9 55.18x
Sorn 9 75.82x
Cardross 8 30.70x
Dundee 8 2.86x
Liff Benvie 8 7.04x
Cambuslang 7 26.59x
Cottingham 7 40.58x
Coylton 7 81.59x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 25.42x
Fossoway 7 199.43x
Old Monkland 7 6.75x
Torryburn 7 339.81x
Bromsgrove 6 16.90x
Renfrew 6 29.03x
Stirling 6 15.97x
Torphichen 6 141.51x
Walton On Hill 6 11.56x
Birmingham 5 0.74x
Galashiels 5 18.51x
Hamilton 5 6.86x
Irvine 5 29.78x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 5.26x
Burton Upon Stather 4 242.42x
Cathcart 4 11.81x
Dalziel 4 14.23x
Glenfield 4 229.89x
Kilmore Kilbride 4 28.03x
Paisley Low Church 4 20.18x
Paisley Middle Church 4 10.98x
Brighton 3 1.09x
Kilwinning 3 15.37x
Selkirk 3 14.57x
Stretford 3 5.69x
Whitburn 3 17.07x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 1.43x
Culross 2 63.69x
Lanark 2 9.51x
Larbert 2 11.23x
Neilston 2 6.37x
New Monkland 2 2.59x
Plymouth Charles The 2 2.70x
Royal Navy 2 2.43x
Stoke Damerel 2 1.70x
Uphall 2 14.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 0.64x
Carriden 1 18.15x
Glassford 1 24.81x
Kensington London 1 0.22x
Kilmadock 1 11.99x
Kilmarnock 1 1.39x
Kingarth 1 28.41x
Kirknewton East 1 22.12x
Newhills 1 6.53x
Portsea 1 0.31x
West Kilbride 1 17.36x
Whickham 1 4.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Isabella 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Ann 2
Jessie 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Catherine 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Jannet 1
Joan 1
Leylei 1
Lilias 1
Madaline 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 5
Andrew 4
William 4
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
George 1
Leonard 1
Mathew 1
Thomas 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 Bennie households.

FAQ

Bennie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bennie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 837 people were recorded with the Bennie surname. That placed it at #4,505 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bennie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,126 in 2016. That gives Bennie a modern rank of #5,236.

What does the Bennie surname mean?

From the pet form of the given name Benjamin, meaning "son of the right hand."

What does the Bennie map show?

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