NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonnar

Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary or border".

In the 1881 census there were 406 people recorded with the Bonnar surname, ranking it #7,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,096, ranked #5,352, up from #7,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Viewpark, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl and Port Glasgow Upper East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonnar is 1,160 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 170.0%.

1881 census count

406

Ranked #7,880

Modern count

1,096

2016, ranked #5,352

Peak year

2010

1,160 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonnar had 406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,096 in 2016, ranked #5,352.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 528 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bonnar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonnar surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bonnar 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 262 #8,456
1861 historical 280 #8,953
1881 historical 406 #7,880
1891 historical 523 #7,161
1901 historical 528 #7,740
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 984 #5,576
1998 modern 1,011 #5,630
1999 modern 1,031 #5,575
2000 modern 1,064 #5,406
2001 modern 1,029 #5,464
2002 modern 1,045 #5,485
2003 modern 1,040 #5,425
2004 modern 1,070 #5,306
2005 modern 1,068 #5,262
2006 modern 1,064 #5,275
2007 modern 1,098 #5,195
2008 modern 1,124 #5,129
2009 modern 1,139 #5,171
2010 modern 1,160 #5,197
2011 modern 1,122 #5,285
2012 modern 1,066 #5,431
2013 modern 1,079 #5,469
2014 modern 1,094 #5,420
2015 modern 1,092 #5,379
2016 modern 1,096 #5,352

Geography

Back to top

Where Bonnars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Viewpark, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, Port Glasgow Upper East, Greenock Upper Central and Greenock Town Centre and East Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Viewpark North Lanarkshire
2 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
3 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
4 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde
5 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bonnar

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bonnar

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bonnar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bonnar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bonnar is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bonnar 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

Bonnar falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bonnar

The surname Bonnar is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Ódhnair or Ódhnár, which means "pale-green" or "sallow" in Scottish Gaelic. This name is thought to have been a descriptive name referring to someone's complexion or the color of their hair.

The earliest known record of the name Bonnar dates back to the late 16th century in the county of Ayrshire, Scotland. In 1597, a John Bonnar is mentioned in the records of the Parish of Kilwinning. This suggests that the name was well-established in the Ayrshire region by that time.

During the 17th century, the name Bonnar appeared in various historical records throughout Scotland. For example, in 1685, a James Bonnar is recorded as a witness in a court case in the city of Edinburgh.

The Bonnar surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Bonnar, a Scottish military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War in the early 17th century. He was knighted for his service in 1628.

Another notable bearer of the Bonnar name was Robert Bonnar (1730-1799), a Scottish poet and playwright who was born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his play "The Pastoral Courtship" and his collection of poems titled "Pieces in Prose and Verse."

In the 19th century, John Bonnar (1819-1892) was a Scottish artist and engraver who was born in Cupar, Fife. He is particularly renowned for his engravings of Scottish landscapes and architectural scenes.

William Bonnar (1840-1916) was a Scottish missionary who spent much of his life working in India. He was instrumental in establishing several churches and schools in the region of Nagpur during his missionary work.

Finally, Andrew Bonnar (1877-1964) was a Scottish golfer who won several prestigious tournaments in the early 20th century, including the Scottish Professional Championship in 1906 and 1912.

While the Bonnar surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its Scottish Gaelic origins and its early presence in the county of Ayrshire. The name has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including military, literature, art, religion, and sports.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bonnar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonnar 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. Lanarkshire leads with 93 Bonnars recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.26x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 93 7.26x
Renfrewshire 87 28.35x
Midlothian 57 10.74x
Fife 30 12.80x
Clackmannanshire 21 64.20x
Aberdeenshire 20 5.45x
Angus 14 3.82x
Ayrshire 14 4.72x
West Lothian 11 18.44x
Stirlingshire 10 6.85x
Lancashire 8 0.17x
Perthshire 6 3.38x
Kincardineshire 5 10.37x
Cumberland 4 1.17x
Essex 4 0.51x
Kinross-shire 4 39.96x
Yorkshire 4 0.10x
Argyllshire 2 1.81x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.88x
Durham 2 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.62x
Kent 1 0.07x
Merionethshire 1 1.38x
Middlesex 1 0.03x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.19x
Peeblesshire 1 5.37x
Surrey 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 35 Bonnars recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.40x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 35 16.40x
Barony 29 8.95x
Dunfermline 26 72.12x
Govan 24 7.58x
Abbey 22 46.98x
Clackmannan 21 339.81x
West Greenock 19 34.49x
Glasgow 17 7.48x
Port Glasgow 16 107.82x
Crathie Braemar 14 639.27x
Biggar 13 448.28x
Paisley High Church 13 53.21x
Whitburn 11 127.61x
Muiravonside 10 269.54x
Dundonald 8 73.19x
Dundee 7 5.11x
Liff Benvie 7 12.57x
Salford 7 5.06x
East Kilbride 6 109.49x
Girvan 6 80.65x
East Greenock 5 17.25x
Edinburgh New 5 121.36x
Kilbarchan 5 53.65x
Perth Middle Church 5 74.85x
Borthwick 4 168.78x
Cockpen 4 64.52x
Colinton 4 67.57x
Fordoun 4 148.15x
Orwell 4 144.93x
Preston Quarter 4 41.88x
Springfield 4 116.62x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 3.92x
Bradford 3 3.16x
Cupar 3 29.41x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 2.91x
Campbeltown 2 15.04x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 15.94x
Middle Greenock 2 23.89x
Paisley Middle Church 2 11.19x
Beath 1 13.50x
Blantyre 1 7.50x
Bothwell 1 2.88x
Cardross 1 7.82x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.12x
Edinburgh High Church 1 30.03x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 22.83x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 9.08x
Fetteresso 1 13.23x
Greenwich 1 1.59x
Habergham Eaves 1 2.33x
Holmer 1 34.25x
Inverkip 1 13.83x
Kensington London 1 0.45x
Llanycil 1 25.64x
Longside 1 22.83x
Neilston 1 6.49x
New Monkland 1 2.64x
Normanton 1 8.48x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.72x
Ockham 1 135.14x
Old Monkland 1 1.97x
Paisley Low Church 1 10.29x
Perth East Church 1 5.97x
Row 1 7.26x
Silksworth 1 185.19x
Traquair 1 97.09x
Trimdon 1 24.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Jienie 1
Laura 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rosamond 1
Sally 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 2
Ernest 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Roger 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 Bonnar households.

FAQ

Bonnar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonnar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 406 people were recorded with the Bonnar surname. That placed it at #7,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonnar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,096 in 2016. That gives Bonnar a modern rank of #5,352.

What does the Bonnar surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary or border".

What does the Bonnar map show?

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