NameCensus.

UK surname

Bona

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "bonus" meaning good or noble.

In the 1881 census there were 53 people recorded with the Bona surname, ranking it #26,134 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, up from #26,134 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Leeds and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bona is 189 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 254.7%.

1881 census count

53

Ranked #26,134

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2011

189 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bona had 53 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,134 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bona surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bona surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bona 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 93 #22,009
1881 historical 53 #26,134
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 58 #27,724
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 158 #21,464
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 189 #19,997
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 182 #20,795
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Bonas 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 Wolverhampton, Leeds, Spelthorne, Merthyr Tydfil and Harrogate. 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 Wolverhampton 018 Wolverhampton
2 Leeds 004 Leeds
3 Spelthorne 007 Spelthorne
4 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Harrogate 018 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bona

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bona 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 Bona

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

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bona surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bona household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bona 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

Bona 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

Bona falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bona is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bona

The surname Bona has its origins in Italy, with records dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to derive from the Latin word "bonus," meaning good or kind. This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a pleasant or virtuous character.

In the early 13th century, the name Bona appeared in records from the city of Bologna, which at the time was a thriving center of learning and culture. One notable example is Bona Calcagnini, a respected scholar and humanist who lived from 1479 to 1541.

The Bona name can also be found in historical documents from other parts of Italy, such as Venice and Tuscany. In the 14th century, a prominent Venetian family known as the Bona da Pisa played an important role in the city's maritime trade and political affairs.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Bona surname comes from the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of medieval documents dating back to the 8th century. This suggests that the name may have its roots in the Lombard kingdom that ruled parts of northern Italy during that time period.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Bona of Savoy (1449-1503) was the Duchess of Milan and an influential patron of the arts and literature. Her legacy helped to further establish the Bona name among Italian nobility.

Other notable individuals throughout history with the surname Bona include:

1. Giovanni Bona (1609-1674), an Italian Cardinal and writer on spiritual topics. 2. Erasmo di Bona (1628-1691), an Italian painter known for his religious works. 3. Bona Sforza (1494-1557), the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania. 4. Bona d'Armagnac (1399-1433), the Duchess of Milan and a member of the Armagnac dynasty. 5. Bona Margherita di Savoia (1589-1655), an Italian princess and the Duchess of Savoy.

The Bona surname has also been found in various place names throughout Italy, such as Bona Piacenza, a commune in the province of Piacenza, and Bona di Vigone, a town in the province of Turin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bona families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bona 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. Carmarthenshire leads with 20 Bonas recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.83x.

County Total Index
Carmarthenshire 20 91.83x
Glamorgan 12 13.33x
Yorkshire 6 1.17x
Berkshire 4 10.31x
Lancashire 4 0.65x
Devon 3 2.79x
Cambridgeshire 1 3.06x
Cheshire 1 0.88x
Middlesex 1 0.19x
Warwickshire 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carmarthen St Peter in Carmarthenshire leads with 11 Bonas recorded in 1881 and an index of 591.40x.

Place Total Index
Carmarthen St Peter 11 591.40x
Llanelly 9 183.30x
Otley 6 483.87x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 57.80x
Llanwonno 4 123.84x
Manchester 4 14.50x
Reading St Mary 4 128.62x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 36.19x
Ystradyfodwg 3 38.02x
Chester Castle 1 1666.67x
Chesterton 1 99.01x
Leamington 1 116.28x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 44.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Adela 1
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Margheritta 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 4
Thomas 4
James 3
David 2
John 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Antonio 1
Benjamen 1
Christopher 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Giutana 1
Griffith 1
Sidney 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 Bona households.

FAQ

Bona surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bona surname in 1881?

In 1881, 53 people were recorded with the Bona surname. That placed it at #26,134 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bona surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Bona a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Bona surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "bonus" meaning good or noble.

What does the Bona map show?

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