NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonnett

A French occupational surname for a maker or seller of bonnets or hats.

In the 1881 census there were 760 people recorded with the Bonnett surname, ranking it #4,865 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 967, ranked #5,950, down from #4,865 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mildenhall, Lincoln St Botolph and Ashley-cum-Silverley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Brentwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonnett is 1,829 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.2%.

1881 census count

760

Ranked #4,865

Modern count

967

2016, ranked #5,950

Peak year

1861

1,829 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonnett had 760 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,865 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 967 in 2016, ranked #5,950.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,829 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bonnett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonnett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bonnett 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 839 #3,239
1861 historical 1,829 #1,581
1881 historical 760 #4,865
1891 historical 1,181 #3,627
1901 historical 1,093 #4,417
1911 historical 1,165 #4,012
1997 modern 1,089 #5,110
1998 modern 1,103 #5,248
1999 modern 1,100 #5,284
2000 modern 1,083 #5,330
2001 modern 1,047 #5,379
2002 modern 1,069 #5,400
2003 modern 1,060 #5,339
2004 modern 1,044 #5,420
2005 modern 1,054 #5,315
2006 modern 1,034 #5,415
2007 modern 1,023 #5,508
2008 modern 994 #5,675
2009 modern 1,010 #5,716
2010 modern 1,025 #5,761
2011 modern 1,006 #5,793
2012 modern 980 #5,829
2013 modern 1,006 #5,790
2014 modern 1,011 #5,804
2015 modern 993 #5,842
2016 modern 967 #5,950

Geography

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Where Bonnetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mildenhall, Lincoln St Botolph, Ashley-cum-Silverley, London parishes and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Brentwood. 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 Mildenhall Suffolk
2 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
3 Ashley-cum-Silverley Cambridgeshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 004 East Cambridgeshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 003 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Brentwood 004 Brentwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bonnett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bonnett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bonnett, 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 Bonnett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bonnett 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bonnett 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

Bonnett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bonnett falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bonnett

The surname Bonnett is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "bonet," which means "small hat" or "cap." This name likely emerged in France during the medieval period, possibly as an occupational name for someone who made or sold hats or caps.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Bonnett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several individuals with variations of the name, such as Bonet and Bonnet, in various parts of England. It is believed that these individuals were of Norman descent and came to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bonnett was Robert Bonnet, who lived in Lincolnshire, England, in the 13th century. In the same century, a man named William Bonnet was listed as a landowner in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire.

The name Bonnett can also be found in various historical records from other parts of Europe, such as France and Germany. In France, the surname was sometimes spelled as Bonnet or Bonnette, while in Germany, it was commonly written as Bonnet or Bonnett.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Bonnett. One example is Jacques Bonnett (1574-1655), a French engraver and printmaker known for his portraits and religious subjects. Another is Jeremiah Bonnett (1766-1846), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from New Hampshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bonnett include:

1. Percival Bonnett (1856-1927), a British actor and playwright. 2. Alvin C. Bonnett (1899-1973), an American businessman and philanthropist. 3. Laurence Bonnett (1901-1989), a British artist and illustrator. 4. Henry Bonnett (1926-2017), an American baseball player. 5. Patricia Bonnett (born 1942), a British actress and writer.

The surname Bonnett has also been associated with various place names, such as Bonnett's Mill in Virginia, USA, and Bonnett's Town in Maryland, USA, both of which were likely named after early settlers or landowners with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bonnett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonnett 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. Suffolk leads with 101 Bonnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.24x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 101 11.24x
Middlesex 89 1.21x
Lincolnshire 88 7.46x
Cambridgeshire 64 13.70x
Yorkshire 56 0.77x
Kent 40 1.59x
Essex 39 2.68x
Hertfordshire 38 7.48x
Surrey 35 0.97x
Leicestershire 30 3.67x
Norfolk 27 2.38x
Huntingdonshire 20 13.66x
Sussex 20 1.61x
Lancashire 19 0.22x
Bedfordshire 12 3.14x
Northamptonshire 11 1.59x
Glamorgan 10 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.91x
Gloucestershire 7 0.48x
Dorset 6 1.24x
Cheshire 5 0.31x
Hampshire 5 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.90x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Northumberland 4 0.36x
Oxfordshire 4 0.88x
Staffordshire 3 0.12x
Herefordshire 2 0.66x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mildenhall in Suffolk leads with 19 Bonnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 199.16x.

Place Total Index
Mildenhall 19 199.16x
Ashley Cum Silverley 17 1382.11x
Bethnal Green London 14 4.37x
Lakenheath 14 295.36x
Leicester St Margaret 13 6.52x
Balcombe 12 540.54x
Cheshunt 12 67.53x
Hornchurch 12 168.07x
Litlington 12 701.75x
Bury St Edmunds St James 11 45.85x
Brettenham 10 1250.00x
Kirtling 10 483.09x
Paddington London 10 3.69x
Peterborough 10 19.91x
St George Hanover Square 10 7.70x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 10 60.28x
Stotfold 10 136.80x
Swansea Town 9 8.55x
Ashwell 8 200.50x
Cockfield 8 338.98x
Enfield 8 16.53x
Pakenham 8 330.58x
Somersham 8 224.72x
Tickhill 8 171.67x
Wigan 8 6.54x
Bicker 7 382.51x
Camberwell 7 1.49x
Gillingham 7 13.49x
Great Waltham 7 118.04x
Kensington London 7 1.71x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 7 20.56x
Lambeth 7 1.09x
Pidley Cum Fenton 7 619.47x
South Thoresby 7 1707.32x
Barking 6 14.09x
Barrowby 6 294.12x
Belgrave 6 32.52x
Croydon 6 3.01x
Exning 6 132.45x
Forcett With Carkin 6 419.58x
Leicester All Sts 6 37.36x
Preston 6 27.64x
Therfield 6 202.02x
Upchurch 6 211.27x
Watton 6 288.46x
Woolwich 6 6.45x
Barkstone 5 396.83x
Barlings 5 423.73x
Castleton 5 5.72x
Doncaster 5 9.37x
Guisbrough 5 31.31x
Horfield 5 34.34x
Lee 5 13.69x
Newark Upon Trent 5 13.99x
Shoreditch London 5 1.56x
Walthamstow 5 9.54x
Barony 4 0.66x
Barrow 4 173.91x
Battersea 4 1.47x
Boston 4 11.18x
Depden 4 701.75x
Halifax 4 3.73x
Litcham 4 197.04x
Loversall 4 888.89x
Maiden Newton 4 198.02x
Oxford St Giles 4 18.41x
Poplar London 4 2.87x
Sittingbourne 4 20.13x
St Marythe Great 4 263.16x
St Pancras London 4 0.67x
Terrington St Clement 4 78.13x
Terrington St John 4 233.92x
Upwell 4 116.96x
Whiston 4 113.64x
Wickhambrook 4 118.34x
Lewisham 3 2.24x
Long Ditton 3 51.11x
Milton In Gravesend 3 7.95x
Rotherham 3 7.28x
Upwell 3 56.82x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 59
John 47
George 25
Charles 20
Henry 16
Robert 16
Thomas 15
James 13
Alfred 10
Joseph 10
Richard 10
Arthur 9
Frederick 8
Walter 8
Ernest 6
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Luke 3
Stephen 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Pierre 2
Thompson 2
Wm. 2
Bartholomew 1
Cyril 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.H. 1
Fredrick 1
Frerick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Louise 1
Matthew 1
Newman 1
North 1

FAQ

Bonnett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonnett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 760 people were recorded with the Bonnett surname. That placed it at #4,865 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonnett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 967 in 2016. That gives Bonnett a modern rank of #5,950.

What does the Bonnett surname mean?

A French occupational surname for a maker or seller of bonnets or hats.

What does the Bonnett map show?

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