NameCensus.

UK surname

Benwell

From an English place name meaning "good stream or brook".

In the 1881 census there were 434 people recorded with the Benwell surname, ranking it #7,512 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 491, ranked #10,116, down from #7,512 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Alton and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hart, Plymouth and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benwell is 591 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.1%.

1881 census count

434

Ranked #7,512

Modern count

491

2016, ranked #10,116

Peak year

1911

591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Benwell had 434 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,512 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016, ranked #10,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 591 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Benwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Benwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benwell 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 345 #6,823
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 434 #7,512
1891 historical 524 #7,145
1901 historical 518 #7,842
1911 historical 591 #6,921
1997 modern 539 #8,796
1998 modern 553 #8,892
1999 modern 571 #8,726
2000 modern 569 #8,709
2001 modern 553 #8,772
2002 modern 540 #9,103
2003 modern 519 #9,248
2004 modern 530 #9,117
2005 modern 517 #9,217
2006 modern 513 #9,305
2007 modern 499 #9,574
2008 modern 496 #9,694
2009 modern 503 #9,804
2010 modern 507 #9,947
2011 modern 509 #9,821
2012 modern 486 #10,073
2013 modern 499 #10,034
2014 modern 501 #10,063
2015 modern 495 #10,070
2016 modern 491 #10,116

Geography

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Where Benwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Alton, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hart, Plymouth, Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire and Croydon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Alton Hampshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hart 011 Hart
2 Plymouth 010 Plymouth
3 Basingstoke and Deane 016 Basingstoke and Deane
4 East Hampshire 008 East Hampshire
5 Croydon 030 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benwell

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Benwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Benwell 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Benwell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Benwell is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Benwell

The surname Benwell originates from England, specifically the county of Northumberland. It is a locational surname derived from the place name Benwell, a small village located just west of Newcastle upon Tyne. The name Benwell itself is believed to come from the Old English words "benn" meaning "ridge" and "well" meaning "spring" or "stream."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Benwell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from the year 1230, where a person named William de Benewell is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use during the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Benwell surname appears in the parish records of St. John's Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. A notable entry is the baptism record of John Benwell in 1578.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings across England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not include any mentions of the Benwell surname or the place name Benwell. This suggests that the village and the surname may have emerged after the Norman Conquest.

A notable figure in history bearing the Benwell surname is Thomas Benwell (1633-1701), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Andrew's Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. He published several works on theology and religious topics during his lifetime.

Another significant individual with the Benwell surname is John Benwell (1769-1835), a British engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing a method for manufacturing lead shot using a shot tower, which revolutionized the production of ammunition.

In the realm of literature, William Benwell (1815-1888) was an English poet and author who wrote works focused on the industrial and working-class life in Newcastle upon Tyne. His most notable work is the poem "The Pitman's Revenge," which depicts the harsh conditions faced by coal miners in the region.

The Benwell surname has also been associated with various place names in the Newcastle area, such as Benwell Village, Benwell Lane, and Benwell Dene, further reinforcing its connection to the local geography.

One of the most prominent historical figures sharing the Benwell surname is Robert Benwell (1823-1898), a British engineer and industrialist. He founded the Benwell Iron Works in Newcastle upon Tyne, which became a significant manufacturer of railway equipment and machinery during the Industrial Revolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Benwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benwell 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 131 Benwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 131 3.07x
Surrey 70 3.37x
Hampshire 45 5.15x
Oxfordshire 32 12.16x
Warwickshire 24 2.23x
Berkshire 19 5.94x
Kent 16 1.10x
Gloucestershire 14 1.67x
Glamorgan 13 1.75x
Lincolnshire 9 1.32x
Northamptonshire 9 2.24x
Durham 8 0.63x
Essex 8 0.95x
Yorkshire 7 0.17x
Staffordshire 6 0.42x
Sussex 6 0.83x
Cheshire 5 0.53x
Isle of Man 4 5.05x
Devon 3 0.34x
Worcestershire 3 0.54x
Bedfordshire 2 0.91x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hampstead London in Middlesex leads with 23 Benwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.64x.

Place Total Index
Hampstead London 23 34.64x
Alton 17 257.97x
Kingston On Thames 17 34.07x
Aston 13 4.39x
Watlington 12 444.44x
Birmingham 11 3.07x
Isleworth 11 58.05x
Lambeth 11 2.96x
Lewisham 11 14.18x
Camberwell 10 3.67x
Crondall 10 213.22x
Leckhampton 10 194.17x
Kingsthorpe 9 201.79x
St Pancras London 9 2.62x
Bermondsey 8 6.30x
Croydon 8 6.94x
Hammersmith London 8 7.62x
Kensington London 8 3.38x
Langton By Horncastle 8 1904.76x
Tottenham 8 11.78x
Tudhoe 8 72.07x
Cardiff St Mary 7 17.12x
Goring 7 466.67x
Manningham 7 13.45x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.24x
Britwell Salome 6 2608.70x
Cardiff St John 6 24.75x
Ealing 6 15.75x
Hackney London 6 2.51x
Leyton 6 41.41x
Padworth 6 1538.46x
Teddington London 6 62.11x
Edmonton 5 14.56x
Harrow 5 76.69x
Newington 5 3.18x
Nuffield 5 1612.90x
Reading St Giles 5 15.93x
St George Hanover Square 5 6.66x
Alverstoke 4 12.65x
Carshalton 4 50.31x
Chester St Oswald 4 23.47x
Islington London 4 0.97x
Portsea 4 2.34x
Shoreditch London 4 2.16x
Clifton 3 7.10x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.67x
Great Malvern 3 25.82x
Mile End Old Town London 3 3.31x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 40.32x
Onchan 3 13.16x
Oving 3 123.46x
St Luke London 3 4.39x
Westminster St James 3 6.85x
Wolverhampton 3 2.71x
Aldershot 2 6.83x
Chelsea London 2 1.56x
Cookham 2 20.04x
Enfield 2 7.15x
Fulham London 2 3.24x
Newbury 2 19.51x
Reading St Mary 2 7.80x
Rolleston 2 181.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.33x
St Maurice Winchester 2 55.10x
Ventnor 2 24.07x
Wymington 2 277.78x
Altrincham 1 6.08x
Battersea 1 0.64x
Brighton 1 0.69x
Earley 1 18.76x
Eastbourne 1 3.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.44x
Lt Milton 1 188.68x
Maughold 1 16.37x
Sidmonton 1 357.14x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.82x
Southwark Christchurch 1 5.01x
St Martin In Fields 1 3.92x
Walthamstow 1 3.30x
Winterbourne 1 21.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 19
Mary 16
Alice 11
Emma 10
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Ada 5
Amelia 5
Margaret 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Florence 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Marion 3
Ann 2
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
F.L. 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Henretta 2
Marian 2
Rose 2
Susanna 2
Arabella 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Floret 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Tryphena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
George 25
John 17
Charles 14
Henry 13
James 13
Frederick 9
Arthur 8
Albert 7
Richard 7
Walter 6
Samuel 5
Ernest 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Thomas 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Chas.Jno. 1
Daniel 1
Douglas 1
E.S. 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Elizabeth 1
F.C. 1
Ferdinand 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Josh.Procr. 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Oswald 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Procter 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Will 1

FAQ

Benwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 434 people were recorded with the Benwell surname. That placed it at #7,512 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016. That gives Benwell a modern rank of #10,116.

What does the Benwell surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "good stream or brook".

What does the Benwell map show?

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