NameCensus.

UK surname

Bensted

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Bensted surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eastling, Warehorne, Orlestone and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Sevenoaks and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bensted is 321 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 38.3%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1911

321 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bensted had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 321 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Bensted surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bensted surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bensted 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 261 #12,775
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 194 #17,978
1998 modern 195 #18,397
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 185 #19,118
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 174 #19,760
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 169 #21,826
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Bensteds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eastling, Warehorne, Orlestone, London parishes, Stalisfield and Ulcombe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Sevenoaks and Maidstone. 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 Eastling Kent
2 Warehorne, Orlestone Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Stalisfield Kent
5 Ulcombe Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 013 Dover
2 Sevenoaks 010 Sevenoaks
3 Dover 014 Dover
4 Dover 012 Dover
5 Maidstone 011 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bensted

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bensted

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Bensted surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Bensted household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bensted is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Bensted is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bensted falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Bensted families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bensted 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. Kent leads with 143 Bensteds recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.72x.

County Total Index
Kent 143 16.72x
Surrey 53 4.34x
Middlesex 31 1.24x
Sussex 9 2.13x
Suffolk 8 2.62x
Lancashire 4 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.89x
Hertfordshire 3 1.74x
Essex 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.26x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 19 Bensteds recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.57x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 19 74.57x
Doddington 17 3400.00x
Southwark St John 16 208.61x
Orlestone 12 3428.57x
Richmond 11 64.25x
Camberwell 9 5.62x
Eastling 9 2195.12x
Stalisfield 9 3103.45x
Ashford 8 96.04x
Bethnal Green London 8 7.35x
Warehorne 8 1739.13x
Ruckinge 7 2058.82x
Shoreditch London 7 6.44x
Battersea 6 6.50x
Parham 6 7500.00x
Willesden 6 25.39x
Bermondsey 5 6.70x
Bow London 5 15.67x
Ipswich St Clement 5 64.43x
Lambeth 5 2.29x
Ulcombe 5 892.86x
Eastchurch 4 476.19x
Lynsted 4 360.36x
Manchester 4 2.99x
Milton In Milton 4 109.89x
Sittingbourne 4 59.26x
Westminster St John 4 13.10x
Wrotham 4 141.34x
Cheshunt 3 49.67x
Gravesend 3 41.44x
Lenham 3 175.44x
Tenterden 3 99.34x
Wormshill 3 1666.67x
Frinstead 2 1111.11x
Gorleston 2 25.77x
Hastings St Mary 2 19.01x
Hoo 2 176.99x
Minster In Sheppey 2 14.11x
Borough Green 1 285.71x
Chalk 1 344.83x
Cobham 1 126.58x
Dersingham 1 114.94x
Gillingham 1 5.67x
Greenwich 1 2.51x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 128.21x
Higham 1 86.21x
Hove 1 5.39x
Lockwood 1 11.19x
Monkton 1 312.50x
Newnham 1 370.37x
St Andrewthe Great 1 48.78x
St Pancras London 1 0.50x
Teynham 1 64.94x
Tonge 1 370.37x
Walpole 1 294.12x
Wingham 1 101.01x
Wisbech St Mary 1 54.95x
Worplesdon 1 68.03x
Yalding 1 46.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Jane 6
Caroline 5
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Kate 5
Alice 4
Amy 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
E. 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Baby 1
Bethinia 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Elleoner 1
Emiley 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Kezia 1
Lttie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margerit 1
Maude 1
Minie 1
Minnie 1
Muriel 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Thomas 11
James 10
George 8
John 8
Henry 6
Albert 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Jno. 2
Alice 1
Arthur 1
B. 1
Benjamin 1
Carlyle 1
Clement 1
Felix 1
Fredk.A. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Joseph 1
Lewins 1
Maurice 1
Owen 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Walter 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Bensted surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bensted surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Bensted surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bensted surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Bensted a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Bensted map show?

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