NameCensus.

UK surname

Bonning

A surname derived from a place name referring to an area near Bonn, Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Bonning surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 147, ranked #24,071, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Philip and Jacob and Huish Episcopi. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Denbighshire and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bonning is 180 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.9%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

147

2016, ranked #24,071

Peak year

1911

180 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bonning had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016, ranked #24,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bonning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bonning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bonning 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 180 #15,961
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 153 #21,197
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 145 #22,929
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 151 #23,377
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 147 #24,071

Geography

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Where Bonnings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Philip and Jacob, Huish Episcopi, Ilminster and Kingsbury Episcopi. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Denbighshire, South Northamptonshire, South Somerset and Torbay. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
3 Huish Episcopi Somerset
4 Ilminster Somerset
5 Kingsbury Episcopi Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Denbighshire 017 Denbighshire
3 South Northamptonshire 008 South Northamptonshire
4 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
5 Torbay 018 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bonning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bonning

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bonning is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bonning 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

Bonning 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 Bonning 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 Bonning, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bonning

The surname Bonning has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "bun" and "ing," meaning "a dweller or son of the bun or hill." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name lived near a prominent hill or raised land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bonning can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a person named Robert Bonning. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Bonnyng is listed.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Bonyng, Bonnynge, and Bonyngge, reflecting the phonetic variations common during that time. These variations are often linked to the place names where the families originated, such as Bunning Hill in Gloucestershire or Bunning Lane in Buckinghamshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Bonning include Sir John Bonning, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Oxfordshire in the late 15th century. Another notable figure is Richard Bonning (1580-1659), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Brightwell Baldwin in Oxfordshire.

In the 17th century, the name gained recognition through the work of Thomas Bonning (1621-1688), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of the Gregorian calendar. His calculations were instrumental in determining the accurate dates for the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.

Another significant figure was Sir William Bonning (1745-1819), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.

The Bonning family also had a presence in Scotland, as evidenced by the records of John Bonning (1795-1867), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow.

While the name Bonning is not as common today as it once was, it continues to hold its rich historical roots, reflecting the lives and achievements of those who bore this surname over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bonning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bonning 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. Somerset leads with 47 Bonnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.26x.

County Total Index
Somerset 47 26.26x
Gloucestershire 15 6.88x
Middlesex 12 1.08x
Kent 9 2.37x
Cumberland 8 8.36x
Lanarkshire 7 1.95x
Cambridgeshire 6 8.52x
Devon 5 2.16x
Glamorgan 1 0.52x
Hertfordshire 1 1.30x
Lancashire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 1.24x
Northamptonshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilminster in Somerset leads with 19 Bonnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 1520.00x.

Place Total Index
Ilminster 19 1520.00x
Kingsbury Episcopi 13 2241.38x
Hougham 9 398.23x
Barony 7 7.69x
Preston Quarter 7 261.19x
All Saints Cambridge 6 1224.49x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 29.23x
Bethnal Green London 5 10.35x
Clifton 5 45.37x
Tormoham 5 51.07x
Huish Episcopi 4 1600.00x
Langport Eastover 4 1538.46x
Barrington 3 1875.00x
St George In East London 3 28.68x
St Pancras London 3 3.35x
Bristol St George 2 19.82x
Taunton St Mary 2 60.79x
Weston Super Mare 2 44.25x
Abergavenny 1 33.22x
Bristol St Stephen 1 175.44x
Cardiff St John 1 15.82x
Everton 1 2.38x
Northampton All Sts 1 28.17x
Redbourn 1 119.05x
Shoreditch London 1 2.07x
St Bees 1 227.27x
Westbury On Trym 1 13.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Julia 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Cicely 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Else 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Lidga 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maud 1
Phebe 1
Rachl. 1
Rosa 1
Rossetta 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
George 5
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
William 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
James 2
Joseph 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Bonar 1
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Simeon 1
Thomas 1
Vincent 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Bonning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bonning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Bonning surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bonning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 147 in 2016. That gives Bonning a modern rank of #24,071.

What does the Bonning surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to an area near Bonn, Germany.

What does the Bonning map show?

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