NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonner

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Cnaimhsighe," meaning "descendant of the midwife" or "descendant of the bone-setter."

In the 1881 census there were 2,647 people recorded with the Bonner surname, ranking it #1,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,595, ranked #1,196, up from #1,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Godalming, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Sutherland East and Ellon West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonner is 5,808 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.4%.

1881 census count

2,647

Ranked #1,676

Modern count

5,595

2016, ranked #1,196

Peak year

1999

5,808 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonner had 2,647 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,595 in 2016, ranked #1,196.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,721 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bonner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonner surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bonner 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 1,729 #1,670
1861 historical 1,393 #2,060
1881 historical 2,647 #1,676
1891 historical 2,841 #1,670
1901 historical 3,693 #1,518
1911 historical 3,721 #1,396
1997 modern 5,601 #1,161
1998 modern 5,767 #1,176
1999 modern 5,808 #1,177
2000 modern 5,757 #1,174
2001 modern 5,620 #1,182
2002 modern 5,727 #1,182
2003 modern 5,509 #1,202
2004 modern 5,547 #1,185
2005 modern 5,423 #1,198
2006 modern 5,420 #1,195
2007 modern 5,467 #1,194
2008 modern 5,499 #1,197
2009 modern 5,686 #1,184
2010 modern 5,788 #1,187
2011 modern 5,688 #1,195
2012 modern 5,569 #1,195
2013 modern 5,687 #1,192
2014 modern 5,695 #1,199
2015 modern 5,620 #1,198
2016 modern 5,595 #1,196

Geography

Back to top

Where Bonners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Godalming, London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Sutherland East, Ellon West, Barlanark and Cotswold. 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 Godalming Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 015 South Oxfordshire
2 Sutherland East Highland
3 Ellon West Aberdeenshire
4 Barlanark Glasgow City
5 Cotswold 002 Cotswold

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bonner

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bonner

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bonner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bonner 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bonner is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bonner is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bonner falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bonner

The surname Bonner is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bune," which means "a band or binding," or the Old French word "bon," meaning "good." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a maker of bonnets or headbands, or someone who was considered a good or virtuous person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bonner can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name appears in various forms, such as "Bunere" and "Bonere," indicating the variations in spelling that were common during that time.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert Bonner who was a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire, England. Another noteworthy figure was Edmund Bonner (c. 1500-1569), who served as the Bishop of London during the reign of Mary I and was known for his persecution of Protestants during the English Reformation.

The Bonner surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Bonner in Nottinghamshire, England, and Bonner Springs in Kansas, United States. The latter was named after Robert Bonner, an early settler in the area in the 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bonner include William Bonner (1804-1899), an English artist and illustrator known for his watercolor paintings of landscapes and architectural subjects. Robert Jasper Bonner (1817-1899) was an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Bonner Bridge, a notable structure connecting the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

In more recent times, the Bonner surname has been associated with several accomplished individuals, such as Yelena Bonner (1923-2011), a Russian human rights activist and the wife of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov. Paul Bonner (1939-2020) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist who played a crucial role in the desegregation of public schools in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bonner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonner 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 432 Bonners recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 432 1.68x
Surrey 302 2.41x
Kent 169 1.93x
Yorkshire 137 0.54x
Essex 133 2.63x
Lincolnshire 133 3.24x
Lancashire 115 0.38x
Oxfordshire 92 5.80x
Bedfordshire 87 6.55x
Warwickshire 78 1.21x
Lanarkshire 71 0.86x
Staffordshire 70 0.81x
Northumberland 60 1.57x
Cardiganshire 57 9.10x
Devon 54 1.01x
Hampshire 48 0.91x
Aberdeenshire 47 1.98x
Durham 47 0.62x
Berkshire 42 2.18x
Northamptonshire 41 1.70x
Suffolk 35 1.12x
Gloucestershire 34 0.68x
Wiltshire 31 1.37x
Buckinghamshire 29 1.87x
Derbyshire 29 0.72x
Leicestershire 29 1.02x
Sussex 25 0.58x
Renfrewshire 24 1.21x
Dumfriesshire 19 3.35x
Shropshire 16 0.72x
Banffshire 13 2.44x
Cheshire 12 0.21x
Norfolk 11 0.28x
Ayrshire 9 0.47x
Hertfordshire 9 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.26x
Worcestershire 9 0.27x
Argyllshire 8 1.12x
Cumberland 8 0.36x
Midlothian 8 0.23x
Angus 7 0.29x
Fife 7 0.46x
Herefordshire 7 0.67x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 1.35x
Denbighshire 4 0.41x
Glamorgan 3 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.51x
Brecknockshire 2 0.39x
Flintshire 2 0.29x
Kincardineshire 2 0.64x
Caithness 1 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.20x
Merionethshire 1 0.21x
Monmouthshire 1 0.05x
Peeblesshire 1 0.83x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x
West Lothian 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 54 Bonners recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.17x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 54 2.17x
Hackney London 37 2.57x
Aston 34 1.91x
Mile End Old Town London 34 6.22x
Godalming 30 38.10x
St Pancras London 30 1.45x
Govan 28 1.36x
Kensington London 28 1.96x
Maidstone 28 10.73x
Westoning 28 485.27x
Lambeth 27 1.21x
Toddington 25 131.16x
Tottenham 24 5.87x
Elswick 23 7.55x
Lewisham 23 4.93x
Llanafan 22 398.55x
Tonbridge 22 6.97x
Newington 20 2.11x
Annan 19 39.01x
Bermondsey 19 2.49x
Bodicote 19 314.57x
Liverpool 19 1.03x
Middlesbrough 19 5.74x
Harlington 18 382.17x
Poplar London 18 3.72x
Everton 17 1.75x
Greenwich 17 4.16x
Stoke 17 28.81x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 16 3.60x
Brightwaltham 16 424.40x
Hambledon 16 120.85x
Barony 15 0.71x
Chiddingfold 15 128.10x
Croydon 15 2.16x
Edmonton 15 7.25x
Farnham 15 15.43x
Fawley 15 89.93x
Holy Trinity 15 2.45x
Peterborough 15 8.58x
Pontefract 15 27.38x
Bramley In Bramley 14 14.38x
Frensham 14 76.25x
Wolverhampton 14 2.10x
Chelsea London 13 1.68x
Aldershot 12 6.81x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.08x
Brixham 12 19.39x
Byker 12 6.36x
Gwnnws Upper 12 201.01x
Nuneaton 12 16.00x
Paddington London 12 1.27x
Southampton St Mary 12 3.63x
St Fergus 12 89.22x
Bradninch 11 72.99x
Hethe 11 334.35x
Llanfihangel Y Croyddyn 11 50.00x
Old Monkland 11 3.34x
Sevenoaks 11 15.50x
Sible Hedingham 11 64.97x
St George In East London 11 4.56x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 17.04x
Camberwell 10 0.61x
East Malling 10 47.78x
Glasgow 10 0.68x
Guildford Holy Trinity 10 41.96x
Leeds 10 0.70x
Manchester 10 0.73x
Theydon Mount 10 769.23x
Walthamstow 10 5.48x
Bensington 9 89.02x
Brighton 9 1.03x
Carshalton 9 18.81x
Gateshead 9 1.57x
Great Coggeshall 9 34.16x
Luton 9 3.91x
Quorndon 9 56.36x
Shoreditch London 9 0.81x
Spalding 9 11.05x
Stainton Le Vale 9 647.48x
Stoke Newington London 9 4.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 145
Elizabeth 96
Sarah 72
Emma 50
Ellen 49
Jane 46
Eliza 43
Alice 38
Ann 35
Louisa 28
Annie 27
Martha 25
Edith 24
Margaret 23
Emily 22
Florence 20
Harriet 18
Anne 17
Kate 17
Maria 16
Catherine 15
Caroline 14
Fanny 14
Charlotte 13
Frances 11
Susan 11
Ada 9
Agnes 9
Hannah 9
Harriett 9
Elizth. 7
Julia 7
Rose 7
Sophia 7
Isabella 6
Jessie 6
Rosa 6
Ruth 6
Clara 5
Eleanor 5
Ethel 5
Matilda 5
Rebecca 5
Susannah 5
Amelia 4
Francis 4
Lucy 4
Minnie 4
Phoebe 4
Rhoda 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 144
John 134
George 96
Thomas 79
James 68
Henry 56
Charles 53
Edward 42
Joseph 38
Frederick 35
Robert 33
Arthur 24
Alfred 21
Ernest 20
Albert 19
Samuel 19
Edwin 16
Richard 16
David 15
Harry 13
Walter 13
Francis 10
Fredk. 8
Herbert 7
Benjamin 6
Edgar 6
Hugh 6
Isaac 6
Frank 5
Fredrick 5
Leonard 5
Daniel 4
Geo. 4
Patrick 4
Percy 4
Phillip 4
Thos. 4
Fred 3
Fred. 3
Horace 3
Jacob 3
Moses 3
Wm. 3
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Josepth 2
Layton 2
Marten 2
Matthew 2
Philip 2

FAQ

Bonner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,647 people were recorded with the Bonner surname. That placed it at #1,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,595 in 2016. That gives Bonner a modern rank of #1,196.

What does the Bonner surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Cnaimhsighe," meaning "descendant of the midwife" or "descendant of the bone-setter."

What does the Bonner map show?

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