NameCensus.

UK surname

Benz

A German surname derived from the given name Benedict, meaning "blessed."

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Benz surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Cornwall and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Benz is 114 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 635.7%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2014

114 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Benz had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Benz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Benz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Benz 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 44 #28,454
1997 modern 79 #29,672
1998 modern 73 #30,681
1999 modern 80 #30,152
2000 modern 84 #29,706
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 85 #29,867
2003 modern 87 #29,615
2004 modern 77 #31,024
2005 modern 83 #30,486
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 83 #31,183
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 89 #31,235
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Benz' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Cornwall, Hinckley and Bosworth, Camden and Aylesbury Vale. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
2 Cornwall 007 Cornwall
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Camden 002 Camden
5 Aylesbury Vale 017 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Benz

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Benz

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Benz surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Benz 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 many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Benz 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

Benz 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

Benz 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 Benz is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Benz

The surname Benz is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "Bentz" or "Benz", which was a nickname derived from the personal name Benedikt or Bernhard. This nickname likely referred to someone who was blessed or prosperous.

The earliest recorded instances of the Benz surname can be found in various German church records and tax rolls from the 1500s and 1600s, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Hans Benz, who was documented in a tax record in Nuremberg in 1568, and Jakob Benz, whose name appeared in a church register in Stuttgart in 1612.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Benz surname began to spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring countries like Switzerland and Austria. One notable individual from this time period was Johann Benz (1654-1719), a German theologian and author who served as a pastor in Heidelberg.

During the 19th century, the Benz surname became more widely dispersed across Europe and beyond, as many German immigrants sought new opportunities in other parts of the world. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Karl Benz (1844-1929), the pioneering German automobile engineer who is credited with inventing the modern gasoline-powered automobile in 1886. His Benz Patent-Motorwagen is considered the first practical, modern automobile.

Other notable individuals with the Benz surname include Hans Benz (1887-1972), a Swiss architect and urban planner; Ernst Benz (1907-1978), a German composer and conductor; and Marianne Benz (1914-1992), a German actress who appeared in numerous films and television productions throughout her career.

While the Benz surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to many other countries and cultures, carried by generations of immigrants and their descendants. Despite its widespread distribution, the name remains firmly connected to its German heritage and the legacy of innovation and achievement embodied by individuals like Karl Benz.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Benz families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Benz 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. Sussex leads with 5 Benz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.74x.

County Total Index
Sussex 5 21.74x
Yorkshire 4 2.96x
Suffolk 3 18.05x
Warwickshire 2 5.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eastbourne in Sussex leads with 5 Benz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 471.70x.

Place Total Index
Eastbourne 5 471.70x
Knottingley 4 1666.67x
Friston 3 15000.00x
Birmingham 2 17.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Christiana 1
Drusilla 1
Emily 1
Leah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 3
Frederick 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Louis 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Benz households.

FAQ

Benz surname: questions and answers

How common was the Benz surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Benz surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Benz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Benz a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Benz surname mean?

A German surname derived from the given name Benedict, meaning "blessed."

What does the Benz map show?

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