NameCensus.

UK surname

Bohn

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from the Middle High German word "bone" meaning "bean" or "bean grower."

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Bohn surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, London parishes and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denholm and Hermitage, Breckland and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bohn is 144 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1891

144 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bohn had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bohn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bohn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bohn 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 65 #25,618
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 98 #30,384
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Bohns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, London parishes, Battersea and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denholm and Hermitage, Breckland, Herefordshire, Isle of Wight and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 St Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders
2 Breckland 008 Breckland
3 Herefordshire 008 Herefordshire, County of
4 Isle of Wight 001 Isle of Wight
5 Basingstoke and Deane 019 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bohn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bohn

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bohn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bohn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bohn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bohn 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

Bohn 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 Bohn 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bohn

The surname Bohn is of German origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "bune," which means "legume" or "bean." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who grew or sold beans.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bohn can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg in 1293, where a person named Chunrat Bune is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Bune," is believed to be an earlier form of the modern surname Bohn.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records across German-speaking regions. For example, in the city of Frankfurt, a person named Johannes Bohn is mentioned in a document dated 1372.

During the 15th century, the name began to spread to other parts of Europe. In the Netherlands, a prominent figure named Willem Bohn (1450-1521) was a respected scholar and author who wrote several books on philosophy and theology.

In the 16th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Johann Bohn (1549-1622), a German Protestant theologian and author who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.

Another notable figure with the surname Bohn was Johann Gottfried Bohn (1685-1762), a German historian and bibliographer who is best known for his work titled "Bibliotheca Philosophica," a comprehensive bibliography of philosophical literature.

In the 18th century, Christian Friedrich Bohn (1742-1814) was a German writer and educator who published several works on education and pedagogy.

During the 19th century, the name Bohn became more widespread across Europe and North America. One notable individual from this period was Henry G. Bohn (1796-1884), an English publisher and bookseller who founded the publishing firm "Bohn's Libraries," which specialized in reprinting classic works of literature and philosophy.

Throughout history, the surname Bohn has been associated with various professions, including scholars, theologians, writers, educators, and merchants. While the name originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bohn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bohn 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 48 Bohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.14x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 4.14x
Surrey 12 2.12x
Berkshire 10 11.48x
Kent 7 1.77x
Lancashire 7 0.51x
Lanarkshire 5 1.33x
Durham 4 1.16x
Renfrewshire 4 4.45x
Channel Islands 3 8.72x
Essex 3 1.31x
Devon 2 0.83x
Dumfriesshire 2 7.80x
Somerset 2 1.07x
Cheshire 1 0.39x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x
Hampshire 1 0.42x
Leicestershire 1 0.78x
Midlothian 1 0.64x
Northumberland 1 0.58x
Suffolk 1 0.71x
Sussex 1 0.51x
Wiltshire 1 0.97x
Yorkshire 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. Reading St Giles in Berkshire leads with 10 Bohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.96x.

Place Total Index
Reading St Giles 10 116.96x
Battersea 9 21.07x
St Botolph Aldgate London 9 376.57x
St George In East London 9 82.42x
West Derby 6 14.89x
Deptford St Paul 5 16.37x
Kensington London 5 7.75x
St George Hanover Square 5 24.45x
Westminster St John 5 35.39x
Abbey 4 29.15x
Paddington London 4 9.37x
Willington 4 200.00x
Glasgow 3 4.50x
Mile End Old Town London 3 12.15x
Barony 2 2.11x
Chelsea London 2 5.72x
Lochmaben 2 178.57x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 10.75x
St Peter Port 2 31.45x
Trull 2 526.32x
Twickenham 2 40.16x
Walthamstow 2 24.24x
Altrincham 1 22.32x
Amble 1 126.58x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.98x
Camberwell 1 1.35x
Canterbury St Mary 1 37.59x
Farnham 1 22.73x
Gransmoor 1 3333.33x
Hove 1 11.64x
Islington London 1 0.89x
Leith South 1 476.19x
Liverpool 1 1.20x
Newington 1 2.33x
Ospringe 1 204.08x
Quorndon 1 138.89x
Southampton St Mary 1 6.68x
St Giles In Fields London 1 17.57x
St Maryde Castro 1 117.65x
Tetbury 1 77.52x
Tottenham 1 5.41x
Trowbridge 1 22.03x
Woodbridge 1 55.25x
Woodford 1 38.61x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Charles 4
Henry 4
George 3
William 3
Frederick 2
Jacob 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Augusta 1
Edward 1
Englbnecht 1
Frank 1
Fredk.W. 1
Gabriel 1
H.Christian 1
Heinrich 1
Herbert 1
Lambson 1
Lambton 1

FAQ

Bohn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bohn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Bohn surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bohn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Bohn a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Bohn surname mean?

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from the Middle High German word "bone" meaning "bean" or "bean grower."

What does the Bohn map show?

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