NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonella

A Italian surname derived from a diminutive form of the Italian word "buono" meaning "good".

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Bonella surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sauchie, Guildford and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonella is 116 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.3%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

2013

116 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonella had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 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 89 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Bonella surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonella surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bonella 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 26 #30,547
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Bonellas 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 Sauchie, Guildford, Wiltshire, Horsham and Linlathen and Midcraigie. 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 Sauchie Clackmannanshire
2 Guildford 001 Guildford
3 Wiltshire 048 Wiltshire
4 Horsham 010 Horsham
5 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bonella

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bonella

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bonella, 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 Bonella surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Bonella 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Bonella is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bonella is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bonella falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bonella 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 Bonella, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bonella

The surname Bonella originated in Italy, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bono," meaning "good," and the Latin suffix "-ellus," denoting a diminutive form. This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a pleasant or virtuous demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bonella surname can be found in the 13th century, in the Florentine municipality of Fiesole. The name appeared in various historical documents, including tax records and property deeds, indicating its presence among the local population.

During the Renaissance period, the Bonella name gained prominence in the region of Tuscany. Notable individuals bearing this surname included Girolamo Bonella, a renowned painter born in Siena in 1510, whose works adorned churches and noble residences across Italy.

As the name spread across the Italian peninsula, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Bonelli and Bonelli. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional pronunciations.

In the 17th century, the Bonella surname found its way to the island of Sicily, where it became associated with the town of Mazzarino. One prominent figure from this era was Vincenzo Bonella, a celebrated architect born in 1628, whose masterpieces included the design of several baroque-style churches in the region.

Moving into the 19th century, the Bonella name continued to appear across various parts of Italy. Francesco Bonella, born in Naples in 1815, was a respected linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts.

Across the Atlantic, the Bonella name also took root in the Americas, carried by Italian immigrants seeking new opportunities. One such individual was Antonio Bonella, born in Genoa in 1840, who settled in New York City and became a successful businessman and philanthropist, supporting various charitable causes within the Italian-American community.

Other notable figures bearing the Bonella surname include Gabriele Bonella, a celebrated opera singer from Milan, born in 1875, who captivated audiences across Europe with his powerful tenor voice, and Emilio Bonella, a pioneering aviator from Turin, born in 1898, who set several long-distance flight records in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bonella families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonella 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. Fife leads with 9 Bonellas recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.11x.

County Total Index
Fife 9 37.11x
Perthshire 8 43.53x
Northumberland 6 9.85x
Surrey 6 3.01x
Middlesex 4 0.98x
Stirlingshire 4 26.47x
Midlothian 3 5.47x
Hampshire 1 1.19x
Lanarkshire 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston In Belford in Northumberland leads with 6 Bonellas recorded in 1881 and an index of 60000.00x.

Place Total Index
Preston In Belford 6 60000.00x
St Andrews 5 454.55x
Kippen 4 2000.00x
Perth St Pauls 4 930.23x
Perth West Church 4 459.77x
Bethnal Green London 3 16.86x
Croydon 3 27.08x
Richmond 3 107.14x
Auchtermuchty 2 606.06x
Dairsie 2 2000.00x
North Leith 2 78.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 4.53x
Godshill 1 526.32x
Govan 1 3.05x
St Clement Danes London 1 117.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Frances 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Hepzibah 1
Janet 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Agustus 2
Alexandra 1
Guiseppe 1
John 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 Bonella households.

FAQ

Bonella surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonella surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Bonella surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonella surname today?

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

What does the Bonella surname mean?

A Italian surname derived from a diminutive form of the Italian word "buono" meaning "good".

What does the Bonella map show?

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