NameCensus.

UK surname

Bentham

A habitational name from a place named Bentham in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,366 people recorded with the Bentham surname, ranking it #3,004 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,254, ranked #2,881, up from #3,004 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedbergh, Bentham and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Chorley and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bentham is 2,408 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.0%.

1881 census count

1,366

Ranked #3,004

Modern count

2,254

2016, ranked #2,881

Peak year

1999

2,408 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bentham had 1,366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,004 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,254 in 2016, ranked #2,881.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,063 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bentham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bentham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bentham 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 823 #3,280
1861 historical 904 #3,065
1881 historical 1,366 #3,004
1891 historical 1,623 #2,757
1901 historical 1,826 #2,879
1911 historical 2,063 #2,419
1997 modern 2,276 #2,726
1998 modern 2,334 #2,773
1999 modern 2,408 #2,714
2000 modern 2,391 #2,719
2001 modern 2,350 #2,707
2002 modern 2,360 #2,745
2003 modern 2,309 #2,746
2004 modern 2,290 #2,762
2005 modern 2,200 #2,839
2006 modern 2,196 #2,843
2007 modern 2,227 #2,826
2008 modern 2,270 #2,800
2009 modern 2,298 #2,837
2010 modern 2,307 #2,887
2011 modern 2,277 #2,882
2012 modern 2,259 #2,852
2013 modern 2,315 #2,839
2014 modern 2,307 #2,859
2015 modern 2,277 #2,862
2016 modern 2,254 #2,881

Geography

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Where Benthams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedbergh, Bentham, Wigan, Standish and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Chorley, Wigan and South Lakeland. 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 Sedbergh Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bentham Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Standish Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 043 County Durham
2 Chorley 014 Chorley
3 Wigan 003 Wigan
4 South Lakeland 009 South Lakeland
5 County Durham 032 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bentham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bentham

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Bentham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bentham 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Bentham 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

Bentham is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bentham falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bentham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bentham

The surname Bentham originated in England and is derived from a place name meaning "bean homestead" or "homestead for beans" in Old English. The name is believed to have emerged in the 11th century during the Norman conquest of Britain.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Benneham". This entry refers to a village in Berkshire. Other early spellings include Benneham, Beneham, and Benham.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Bentham, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial transactions made by the medieval English Exchequer.

The Bentham surname is also associated with the village of Bentham in Yorkshire, England. This place name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "benn" meaning "coarse grass" and "ham" meaning "homestead".

Notable individuals with the surname Bentham include Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), an influential English philosopher and social reformer. He is best known for his advocacy of utilitarianism and his ideas on criminal justice reform.

Another prominent figure was Edward Bentham (1707-1776), an English writer and philosopher. He was the brother of the botanist George Bentham (1800-1884), who made significant contributions to the classification of plants.

In the 19th century, John Bentham (1803-1892) was a renowned English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

A more recent example is the British actor and director Timothy Bentham (1915-2009), who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career.

The Bentham surname also has connections to various English place names, such as Bentham in North Yorkshire, Bentham in Suffolk, and Bentham in Cheshire. These place names likely influenced the spread and distribution of the surname across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bentham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bentham 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. Lancashire leads with 738 Benthams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 738 4.66x
Yorkshire 334 2.52x
Surrey 38 0.58x
Middlesex 36 0.27x
Westmorland 36 12.27x
Leicestershire 32 2.16x
Durham 31 0.78x
Rutland 29 29.58x
Kent 11 0.24x
Hampshire 10 0.37x
Cheshire 9 0.31x
Lincolnshire 8 0.37x
Cumberland 7 0.61x
Derbyshire 7 0.33x
Northumberland 6 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.59x
Flintshire 5 1.39x
Norfolk 4 0.19x
Staffordshire 4 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 1.55x
Oxfordshire 3 0.36x
Somerset 3 0.14x
Fife 2 0.25x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.12x
Channel Islands 1 0.25x
Essex 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.63x
Shropshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Standish With Langtree in Lancashire leads with 84 Benthams recorded in 1881 and an index of 430.55x.

Place Total Index
Standish With Langtree 84 430.55x
Wigan 56 25.29x
Thornton In Bradford 55 124.86x
Dent 28 506.33x
Liverpool 25 2.60x
Great Bolton 24 11.43x
Wrightington 24 346.82x
Lambeth 23 1.98x
Preston 23 5.42x
Westhoughton 23 54.39x
West Derby 21 4.53x
Ingleton 19 255.03x
Skerton 18 138.36x
Chorley 17 19.12x
North Meols 17 10.96x
Pemberton 16 25.32x
Adlington 15 101.08x
Clayton Le Moors 15 48.78x
Manningham 15 9.20x
Bentham 14 138.89x
Giggleswick 14 313.20x
Ince In Makerfield 14 18.99x
Oakham Lordshold 14 136.45x
Halliwell 13 22.54x
Hulme 13 3.93x
Blackburn 12 2.85x
Salford 12 2.57x
Swinton In Rotherham 12 34.30x
Heskin 11 628.57x
Horton In Bradford 11 5.32x
Horton In Ribblesdale 11 454.55x
Ormskirk 11 36.28x
Parbold 11 447.15x
Skelmersdale 11 41.65x
South Luffenham 11 700.64x
Abram 10 82.24x
Kearsley 10 29.99x
Leeds 10 1.34x
Portsea 10 1.86x
Reedley Hallows 10 326.80x
Settle 10 98.72x
Widnes 10 8.75x
Aylestone 9 77.05x
Chelsea London 9 2.24x
Langcliffe 9 284.81x
Leicester St Margaret 9 2.49x
Shevington 9 124.14x
Tong 9 35.21x
Wadsworth 9 41.78x
Accrington 8 5.55x
Allerton 8 47.42x
Bradford 8 2.50x
Clayton 8 24.70x
Hindley 8 11.84x
Newchurch 8 6.17x
Old Hutton Holmescales 8 457.14x
Bedford 7 21.12x
Coppull 7 82.94x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 7 41.35x
Crosthwaite Lyth 7 198.30x
Croydon 7 1.94x
Glossop Dale 7 7.15x
Grindleton 7 245.61x
Holy Trinity 7 2.20x
Little Bolton 7 3.44x
Reddish 7 32.07x
St Pancras London 7 0.65x
Aughton 6 38.24x
Dalton In Wigan 6 264.32x
Everton 6 1.19x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 3.49x
Jesmond 6 21.46x
Kendal 6 11.17x
Kirkby Stephen 6 78.84x
Lancaster 6 6.36x
Mawdesley 6 140.85x
Nappa 6 6000.00x
Shadforth 6 77.82x
Sileby 6 64.24x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 6 13.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 93
Elizabeth 73
Jane 44
Margaret 41
Sarah 41
Alice 38
Ellen 37
Ann 30
Martha 19
Annie 15
Emma 14
Hannah 14
Agnes 11
Catherine 9
Emily 8
Clara 7
Eleanor 7
Amy 6
Esther 6
Lucy 6
Ruth 6
Eliza 5
Isabella 5
Kate 5
Margret 5
Anne 4
Betsy 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Charlotte 3
Dorah 3
Eliz. 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Kathleen 3
Nanny 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Betty 2
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Jemima 2
Julia 2
Lavinia 2
Lilly 2
Mgt. 2
Nancy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 104
Thomas 68
William 68
James 59
Henry 37
Richard 29
Joseph 28
Robert 23
Charles 16
Alfred 13
George 12
Edward 10
Isaac 6
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Benjamin 5
Peter 5
Ralph 5
Thos. 5
Arthur 4
Christopher 4
Edwin 4
Enoch 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Alfd. 3
Daniel 3
Stephen 3
Abel 2
Augustus 2
Bryan 2
David 2
Ellis 2
Ernest 2
Fleetwood 2
Greenwood 2
Jas. 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Robinson 2
Sam 2
Willie 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Bentham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bentham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,366 people were recorded with the Bentham surname. That placed it at #3,004 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bentham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,254 in 2016. That gives Bentham a modern rank of #2,881.

What does the Bentham surname mean?

A habitational name from a place named Bentham in Lancashire, England.

What does the Bentham map show?

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