NameCensus.

UK surname

Bennis

A surname originating from Spain possibly derived from "ben" meaning son in Arabic.

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Bennis surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Haringey, Richmond upon Thames and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bennis is 114 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 395.7%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2016

114 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bennis had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 63 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Bennis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bennis surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bennis 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 63 #28,881
1901 historical 38 #29,914
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 92 #28,079
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 96 #27,976
2002 modern 94 #28,797
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 93 #31,409
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Bennis' 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 Haringey, Richmond upon Thames, Huntingdonshire, Hackney and Brighton and Hove. 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 Haringey 034 Haringey
2 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames
3 Huntingdonshire 004 Huntingdonshire
4 Hackney 002 Hackney
5 Brighton and Hove 028 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bennis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bennis

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Bennis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bennis 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bennis is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bennis is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bennis 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 Bennis 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Bennis

The surname Bennis originated in the French region of Languedoc. It is derived from the Occitan word "benis," meaning "blessed" or "holy." This name is believed to have been given to those who lived near a blessed or holy place, such as a church or monastery.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bennis dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various records from the Languedoc region. It was often spelled as "Benis" or "Benis" in these early documents.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Pierre Benis, a merchant who lived in Nîmes, France, in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several documents from that time period.

In the 14th century, the name Bennis appeared in the records of the town of Montpellier, which was an important center of trade and learning during the Middle Ages. The name was sometimes spelled as "Benys" or "Beneys" in these records.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bennis family was prominent in the wine-growing region of Languedoc. Several members of the family were successful vintners and wine merchants, exporting their wines throughout Europe.

One notable figure from this era was Jacques Bennis (1560-1628), who was a respected wine merchant and landowner in the town of Béziers. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the time period.

Another prominent individual with the surname Bennis was Jean-Baptiste Bennis (1685-1759), a French lawyer and politician who served as the mayor of Montpellier in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Bennis family spread to other parts of France and beyond. One notable member of the family was Charles Bennis (1810-1872), a French artist who was known for his landscape paintings of the Languedoc region.

The name Bennis has also been associated with several place names in the Languedoc region, such as the village of Benesses and the hamlet of Benis-les-Bains.

While the name Bennis is not as common today as it once was in its region of origin, it continues to be borne by families around the world, particularly those with French or Occitan roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bennis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bennis 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 17 Bennis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.58x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 7.58x
Lancashire 4 1.50x
Kent 1 1.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 11 Bennis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.57x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 11 50.57x
Shoreditch London 5 51.39x
Little Bolton 4 116.96x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 163.93x
Mile End New Town London 1 227.27x
Stokesley 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 2
Martha 2
Christina 1
Edith 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Edward 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Patrick 1
Simon 1
William 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 Bennis households.

FAQ

Bennis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bennis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Bennis surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bennis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Bennis a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Bennis surname mean?

A surname originating from Spain possibly derived from "ben" meaning son in Arabic.

What does the Bennis map show?

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