NameCensus.

UK surname

Benvie

A Scottish surname referring to someone from Benvie, a parish near Dundee.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Benvie surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Errol, Kinfauns and Abernethy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charleston, Balgay and Craigie and Craigiebank.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benvie is 115 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.9%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1881

115 bearers

Map years

3

1881 to 1901

Key insights

  • Benvie had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Benvie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Benvie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benvie 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 105 #22,179
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 86 #29,281
2002 modern 83 #30,070
2003 modern 84 #29,978
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 92 #29,576
2007 modern 93 #29,777
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 92 #31,528
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 92 #32,132
2015 modern 93 #31,972
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Benvies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Errol, Kinfauns, Abernethy, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Crieff. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charleston, Balgay, Craigie and Craigiebank, Tullibody North and Glenochil and Law. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Errol Perth
2 Kinfauns Perth
3 Abernethy Perth
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Crieff Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charleston Dundee City
2 Balgay Dundee City
3 Craigie and Craigiebank Dundee City
4 Tullibody North and Glenochil Clackmannanshire
5 Law Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benvie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benvie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Benvie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Benvie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Benvie 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

Benvie is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Benvie 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 Benvie 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 Benvie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Benvie

The surname Benvie originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Benvie, located near Dundee in the county of Angus. The name is believed to derive from the Gaelic words "beinn," meaning hill or mountain, and "fiadh," meaning deer, suggesting the area was once a hunting ground or home to many deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Benvie can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a Robert de Benvie is mentioned. This indicates the name was already well-established by this time.

In the 16th century, the Benvie family held lands in the parish of Benvie, as evidenced by records from the Registrum de Panmure, a historical manuscript detailing the lands and possessions of the Maule family, who were prominent landowners in the area.

Notable individuals with the surname Benvie throughout history include:

1. James Benvie (1636-1708), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1703 until his death.

2. Andrew Benvie (1780-1856), a Scottish sailor and explorer who accompanied Captain James Cook on his third voyage to the Pacific Ocean.

3. Margaret Benvie (1892-1979), a Scottish artist renowned for her landscape paintings and portraits of notable figures in the Dundee area.

4. William Benvie (1818-1885), a Scottish industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Benvie Textile Mills, a major employer in Dundee during the 19th century.

5. Robert Benvie (1923-2001), a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during World War II and received the Military Cross for his bravery.

The name Benvie has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Benvie Castle, a 16th-century tower house located near the village of Benvie, and the parish of Benvie, where the family's lands were historically situated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Benvie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benvie 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. Perthshire leads with 58 Benvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 115.19x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 58 115.19x
Angus 39 37.53x
Fife 9 13.55x
Midlothian 6 3.99x
Lanarkshire 3 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Errol in Perthshire leads with 27 Benvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 2903.23x.

Place Total Index
Errol 27 2903.23x
Dundee 19 48.97x
Liff Benvie 19 120.41x
Scone 9 1011.24x
Abernethy 7 1060.61x
Logie 7 4666.67x
Longforgan 7 985.92x
Crieff 4 213.90x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 6.62x
Auchterarder 2 141.84x
Forgan 2 157.48x
North Leith 2 28.78x
Old Monkland 2 13.89x
Brechin 1 24.51x
Govan 1 1.11x
Kinfauns 1 434.78x
Perth West Church 1 41.84x

FAQ

Benvie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benvie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Benvie surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benvie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Benvie a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Benvie surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to someone from Benvie, a parish near Dundee.

What does the Benvie map show?

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