NameCensus.

UK surname

Boni

Italian occupational surname derived from the Latin "bonus" meaning "good" or "virtuous".

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Boni surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Cheviot West and Forfar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boni is 220 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5325.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

2014

220 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boni had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 39 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Boni surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boni surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boni 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 39 #29,799
1911 historical 13 #32,172
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 165 #20,535
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 173 #19,937
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 181 #19,680
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 208 #18,956
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 220 #18,471
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Bonis 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 North Devon, Cheviot West, Forfar Central, Bathgate East and Brent. 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 North Devon 003 North Devon
2 Cheviot West Scottish Borders
3 Forfar Central Angus
4 Bathgate East West Lothian
5 Brent 007 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boni

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boni

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Boni surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Boni 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Boni 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

Boni is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boni 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 Boni is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Boni

The surname Boni has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "bonus," meaning good or virtuous. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a nickname to someone who was considered to be of good character or morals.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various Italian manuscripts and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is found in the Florentine Codex of 1298, which mentions a certain Guido Boni, a merchant from the city of Siena.

The Boni name is also closely associated with the town of Boni, located in the province of Novara, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. It is likely that some branches of the Boni family originated from this area, and the surname may have been influenced by the place name.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Boni surname was Girolamo Boni, a renowned Italian architect and engineer who lived from 1544 to 1614. He is best known for his work on the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome and the construction of the Palazzo Borghese.

Another notable figure with the Boni surname was Gaspar Boni, a 17th-century Italian painter and engraver. He was born in Milan in 1635 and is remembered for his religious artwork and portraits commissioned by the Church and nobility.

In the literary world, Giacomo Boni (1688-1766) was an Italian poet and playwright from Genoa. His works, including the tragedy "Merope," were highly regarded during the Enlightenment period.

The Boni surname also has connections to the world of music. Pietro Boni (1812-1892) was an Italian opera composer and conductor who was active in the mid-19th century. His operas, such as "Il Mercante di Venezia," were performed throughout Italy and Europe.

Lastly, one cannot discuss the Boni surname without mentioning Giacomo Boni (1859-1925), a pioneering Italian archaeologist. He is renowned for his excavations and restorations of ancient Roman sites, including the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill in Rome.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boni families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boni 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. Lancashire leads with 2 Bonis recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 4.34x
Middlesex 1 2.57x
Midlothian 1 19.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 2 Bonis recorded in 1881 and an index of 96.62x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 2 96.62x
Edinburgh Old Church 1 2500.00x
St Anne Soho London 1 454.55x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arestide 1
Carmine 1
Michell 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 Boni households.

FAQ

Boni surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boni surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Boni surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boni surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Boni a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Boni surname mean?

Italian occupational surname derived from the Latin "bonus" meaning "good" or "virtuous".

What does the Boni map show?

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