NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonney

A Norman French habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Bonnay in France.

In the 1881 census there were 747 people recorded with the Bonney surname, ranking it #4,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,523, ranked #4,066, up from #4,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Fylde and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonney is 1,628 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.9%.

1881 census count

747

Ranked #4,919

Modern count

1,523

2016, ranked #4,066

Peak year

2002

1,628 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonney had 747 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,523 in 2016, ranked #4,066.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,341 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bonney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bonney 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 507 #4,933
1861 historical 542 #4,848
1881 historical 747 #4,919
1891 historical 836 #4,873
1901 historical 1,181 #4,147
1911 historical 1,341 #3,568
1997 modern 1,540 #3,823
1998 modern 1,591 #3,860
1999 modern 1,626 #3,811
2000 modern 1,601 #3,858
2001 modern 1,591 #3,798
2002 modern 1,628 #3,783
2003 modern 1,587 #3,794
2004 modern 1,576 #3,830
2005 modern 1,548 #3,844
2006 modern 1,531 #3,888
2007 modern 1,538 #3,902
2008 modern 1,520 #3,967
2009 modern 1,555 #3,981
2010 modern 1,582 #3,999
2011 modern 1,566 #3,989
2012 modern 1,486 #4,124
2013 modern 1,554 #4,018
2014 modern 1,545 #4,072
2015 modern 1,535 #4,044
2016 modern 1,523 #4,066

Geography

Back to top

Where Bonneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Lytham and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Fylde, Blackpool and Huntingdonshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
2 Fylde 007 Fylde
3 Blackpool 018 Blackpool
4 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
5 Cornwall 019 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bonney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bonney

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bonney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bonney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Bonney 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

Bonney 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

Bonney falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bonney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bonney

The surname Bonney is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "bon" meaning "good" or "pleasant." It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bonney can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert Bony from Oxfordshire. Another early reference is from the Placita de Quo Warranto of 1292, which mentions a William Bony.

The name Bonney is thought to have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a pleasant or good-natured disposition. It may also have derived from a place name, such as Bonney in Nottinghamshire.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Bony, Boney, and Bonny. These spelling variations were common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable bearer of the Bonney surname was William Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid (1859-1881), an American outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West. He was infamous for his involvement in the Lincoln County War and his numerous escapes from law enforcement.

Another historical figure with the Bonney surname was Joseph Bonney (1733-1816), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.

In the 16th century, the Bonney family was prominent in Somerset, England. John Bonney (c.1550-1627) was a Member of Parliament for Taunton in 1597 and 1601.

The surname Bonney can also be found in early records from Normandy, France, where it may have originated as a variant of the French surname Bonhomme, meaning "good man."

Sarah Bonney (1792-1879) was an American educator and philanthropist who established one of the first public schools for girls in Massachusetts.

Thomas Bonney (1833-1923) was a renowned British geologist and professor at University College London, known for his contributions to the study of glacial geology and the geology of the Alps.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bonney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonney 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 290 Bonneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 290 3.34x
Middlesex 86 1.17x
Suffolk 66 7.40x
Cornwall 61 7.35x
Devon 40 2.62x
Surrey 29 0.81x
Kent 25 1.00x
Essex 24 1.66x
Berkshire 20 3.64x
Cheshire 16 0.99x
Hampshire 16 1.07x
Hertfordshire 15 2.97x
Durham 13 0.60x
Somerset 9 0.76x
Sussex 9 0.73x
Royal Navy 7 8.02x
Westmorland 6 3.73x
Yorkshire 6 0.08x
Staffordshire 5 0.20x
Gloucestershire 2 0.14x
Wiltshire 2 0.31x
Bedfordshire 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Northamptonshire 1 0.15x
Ross-shire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lytham in Lancashire leads with 53 Bonneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 399.40x.

Place Total Index
Lytham 53 399.40x
Preston 43 18.49x
Gorleston 23 101.46x
Much Hoole 21 1438.36x
Plymouth St Andrew 20 17.03x
Manuden 19 1049.72x
St Veep 17 1268.66x
Blackburn 16 6.92x
Bethnal Green London 15 4.71x
Great Bolton 15 13.03x
Longton 15 410.96x
Reading St Mary 14 31.78x
Bishop Stortford 13 77.06x
Sudbury St Gregory 13 181.82x
Greenwich 12 10.29x
Warton 12 1200.00x
Birtley 11 123.73x
Eccleston In Prescot 11 25.21x
Oldham 11 3.92x
Cuerdon 10 694.44x
Kensington London 10 2.46x
St Breock 10 223.21x
Sudbury St Peter 10 204.50x
Egloshayle 9 231.36x
Everton 9 3.25x
Macclesfield 9 12.52x
St Luke London 9 7.66x
Battersea 8 2.97x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 33.57x
Limehouse London 8 9.95x
St Budeaux 8 168.42x
Windle 8 16.36x
Portsea 7 2.38x
Royal Navy 7 9.38x
St Marylebone London 7 1.79x
Bridgewater 6 18.74x
Edmonton 6 10.16x
Lewisham 6 4.50x
Monk Sherborne 6 504.20x
Saltash 6 93.31x
St Giles In Fields London 6 16.69x
Thornton In Fylde 6 31.55x
Bromley London 5 3.10x
Clapham 5 5.46x
Great Harwood 5 31.83x
Islington London 5 0.70x
Little Bolton 5 4.47x
Liverpool 5 0.95x
Preston 5 23.18x
Reading St Giles 5 9.27x
Rugeley 5 28.18x
Stoke Damerel 5 4.68x
Walton Le Dale 5 21.40x
Antony 4 49.94x
Birkenhead 4 3.10x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 4 23.88x
Claughton In Garstang 4 291.97x
Fulham London 4 3.76x
Habergham Eaves 4 5.03x
Ipswich St Margaret 4 13.21x
Kirkdale 4 2.74x
Lea Ashton Ingol 4 69.32x
Morley 4 10.60x
Much Woolton 4 33.90x
Undermilbeck 4 75.33x
Brighton 3 1.20x
Clayton Le Moors 3 17.78x
Freckleton 3 104.90x
Kea 3 48.54x
Newington 3 1.11x
Rotherhithe 3 3.31x
Southwark St John 3 13.39x
Sudbury All Sts 3 110.29x
Talland 3 153.85x
Toxteth Park 3 1.02x
Exeter St Olave 2 101.52x
Kirkham 2 17.41x
Ramsbury 2 34.07x
Shoreditch London 2 0.63x
Woodplumpton 2 64.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 62
Elizabeth 37
Alice 22
Ellen 21
Sarah 18
Margaret 17
Jane 14
Emma 13
Annie 11
Eliza 11
Ann 9
Catherine 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Hannah 4
Isabella 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Julia 3
Lizzie 3
Louisa 3
Rebecca 3
Anne 2
Eliz. 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Lavina 2
Lydia 2
Rosina 2
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Elizabh. 1
Elizh.J. 1
Ella 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Isabellah 1
Jani 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 47
James 38
Thomas 31
George 21
Edward 16
Richard 12
Henry 11
Alfred 10
Charles 10
Frederick 9
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Walter 7
Albert 6
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Aaron 2
Cuthbert 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Benjn.F. 1
Clarence 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.E. 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Johnath 1
Jos. 1
Mariama 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Nath. 1
Nathaniel 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Wm.M. 1

FAQ

Bonney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 747 people were recorded with the Bonney surname. That placed it at #4,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,523 in 2016. That gives Bonney a modern rank of #4,066.

What does the Bonney surname mean?

A Norman French habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Bonnay in France.

What does the Bonney map show?

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