NameCensus.

UK surname

Benny

A nickname surname derived from the given name Benjamin.

In the 1881 census there were 359 people recorded with the Benny surname, ranking it #8,614 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, down from #8,614 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denny, Newlyn and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, West Devon and Fareham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benny is 542 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.1%.

1881 census count

359

Ranked #8,614

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

1861

542 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Benny had 359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,614 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 542 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Benny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Benny surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benny 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 378 #6,315
1861 historical 542 #4,848
1881 historical 359 #8,614
1891 historical 402 #8,842
1901 historical 314 #11,285
1911 historical 271 #12,237
1997 modern 137 #22,301
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 190 #19,246
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 202 #19,322
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 222 #18,198
2014 modern 221 #18,412
2015 modern 235 #17,530
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Bennys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Denny, Newlyn, London parishes, Breage and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, West Devon, Fareham, Carrick South and Broomridge. 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 Denny Stirling
2 Newlyn Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Breage Cornwall
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 015 North Somerset
2 West Devon 005 West Devon
3 Fareham 010 Fareham
4 Carrick South South Ayrshire
5 Broomridge Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benny

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Benny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Benny household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Benny is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Benny 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

Benny falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Benny

The surname Benny has its origins in the Middle Ages, originating from the medieval French name "Benignus" or "Benicius", both meaning "kind" or "good-natured". This name was derived from the Latin word "benignus", which had the same meaning.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Benny can be traced back to the 12th century in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in France. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname, referring to an individual with a pleasant or amiable disposition.

In the 13th century, the surname Benny began to appear in various records and documents across Europe, including the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in England, which date back to 1212. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its French origins, likely due to the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Benny, a knight who lived in the late 13th century and served under King Edward I of England. He is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1290.

In the 14th century, the surname Benny appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This indicates that the name had established itself in England by the late 11th century.

Another prominent figure with the surname Benny was William Benny, a Scottish clergyman and theologian who lived from 1570 to 1633. He served as the minister of the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh and was highly respected for his religious writings.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Benny also gained a foothold in various parts of Europe, including Germany, where it was spelled as "Benny" or "Benni", and in the Netherlands, where it was sometimes rendered as "Bennij" or "Beneij".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in the United States dates back to the late 17th century, when John Benny, a merchant from England, settled in Virginia in 1693.

Other notable individuals with the surname Benny throughout history include Sir John Benny (1805-1879), a British engineer and pioneer in the construction of suspension bridges, and Jack Benny (1894-1974), an American comedian, vaudeville performer, and actor who became a household name on radio and television.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Benny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benny 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. Cornwall leads with 156 Bennys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.35x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 156 39.35x
Middlesex 45 1.28x
Kent 26 2.18x
Surrey 21 1.23x
Stirlingshire 19 14.71x
Devon 18 2.47x
Angus 17 5.24x
Yorkshire 10 0.29x
Lancashire 7 0.17x
Lanarkshire 6 0.53x
Oxfordshire 6 2.77x
Suffolk 6 1.41x
Gloucestershire 5 0.73x
Ayrshire 3 1.14x
Essex 3 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.64x
Midlothian 2 0.43x
Perthshire 2 1.27x
Berkshire 1 0.38x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.29x
Durham 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newlyn in Cornwall leads with 18 Bennys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1065.09x.

Place Total Index
Newlyn 18 1065.09x
Islington London 15 4.42x
Liff Benvie 15 30.46x
St Austell 13 95.94x
Gillingham 11 44.66x
Illogan 11 104.76x
Denny 10 145.56x
St Columb Minor 10 300.30x
St Enoder 10 740.74x
Ladock 9 803.57x
St Agnes 9 162.16x
St Columb Major 9 273.56x
West Teignmouth 8 143.37x
Mile End Old Town London 7 9.39x
St Cleer 7 203.49x
St Wenn 7 1076.92x
Battersea 6 4.66x
Kilsyth 6 72.82x
Oxford St Giles 6 58.14x
Paul 6 83.33x
Penge 6 26.82x
St Merryn 6 923.08x
Woolwich 6 13.59x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 21.83x
Whepstead 5 684.93x
Camberwell 4 1.79x
Falmouth 4 28.51x
Govan 4 1.43x
Heckmondwike 4 35.84x
Helston 4 97.09x
St Issey 4 493.83x
St Pancras London 4 1.42x
Breage 3 82.87x
Bromley London 3 3.89x
Kenwyn 3 28.93x
Lambeth 3 0.98x
Loose 3 171.43x
Maybole 3 37.59x
Menheniot 3 181.82x
Nottingham St Mary 3 2.46x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 5.34x
Camborne 2 12.24x
Chatham 2 6.08x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.42x
Dunipace 2 88.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.06x
Everton 2 1.51x
Leeds 2 1.02x
Liskeard 2 30.17x
Liverpool 2 0.79x
Madron Penzance 2 13.87x
Newington 2 1.55x
Northowram 2 8.22x
Padstow 2 76.05x
Plymouth Charles The 2 6.23x
Plymstock 2 52.36x
St Marylebone London 2 1.07x
Tavistock 2 24.10x
Tonbridge 2 4.64x
West Ham 2 1.31x
Westminster St James 2 5.56x
Westminster St Margaret 2 11.84x
Willesden 2 6.06x
Aberfoyle 1 178.57x
Brechin 1 7.84x
Crayford 1 19.16x
Crowan 1 31.85x
Escomb 1 20.88x
Falkirk 1 3.31x
Grimsargh With 1 227.27x
Kensington London 1 0.51x
Lower Machen 1 80.00x
Moulin 1 40.32x
Newbury 1 11.88x
St Allen 1 142.86x
St Breock 1 46.73x
St George Martyr London 1 14.10x
St Gluvias 1 45.05x
St Hilary Marazion 1 92.59x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 11
Jane 9
Emma 8
Alice 6
Susan 5
Emily 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Phillippa 2
Anna 1
Blanch 1
C.A. 1
Candeca 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Franci 1
Harriett 1
Hetty 1
James 1
Jemimah 1
Jessy 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
M.E. 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 14
Henry 12
James 9
Richard 8
Charles 7
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Frederick 4
George 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Andrew 2
Walter 2
Abel 1
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Chistopher 1
Christopher 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Heman 1
Jas. 1
Jonathen 1
Michael 1
Michal 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Benny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 359 people were recorded with the Benny surname. That placed it at #8,614 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Benny a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Benny surname mean?

A nickname surname derived from the given name Benjamin.

What does the Benny map show?

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