Find out how popular the last name Bennings is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bennings.

Bennings, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bennings surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bennings in America

Bennings is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bennings surname appeared 174 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bennings.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bennings to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bennings

The surname Bennings has its origins traced back to England, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "benn," which means a grassy or marshy area, coupled with the suffix "-ing," indicating belonging or association. This combination suggests that the name was initially given to someone residing in or near a grassy field or marsh.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bennings can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Bening and Beninge, indicating the presence of the surname in various parts of the country at that time.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Bening residing in Gloucestershire, England. This variation of the name, with the prefix "de," suggests that Robert may have been from a particular location or estate associated with the name Bening.

During the 16th century, the name Bennings appeared in various historical documents, including parish records and tax rolls. One notable individual was John Bennings, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived from 1520 to 1588.

In the 17th century, the Bennings surname gained prominence with the life of Sir Henry Bennings (1591-1676), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Charles I.

Another prominent figure with the surname Bennings was Sir John Bennings (1610-1683), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Bennings was closely associated with the town of Benningborough, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. This place name, derived from the Old English words "Bening" and "burgh" (meaning a fortified town or settlement), likely contributed to the surname's popularity in the region.

Among the notable individuals from this era was William Bennings (1717-1788), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Horton in Buckinghamshire.

In the 19th century, the Bennings surname continued to be prevalent in various parts of England, with individuals such as Thomas Bennings (1809-1891), a successful businessman and philanthropist from London, and Henry Bennings (1835-1912), a renowned architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the city of Birmingham.

While this account focuses primarily on the English origins and historical references of the surname Bennings, it is important to note that the name may have also spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bennings

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bennings.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bennings was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bennings has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bennings was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bennings, please contact us.

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