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Benning Family History

Benning Surname Meaning

Dutch and German: habitational name from a farm so named which once belonged to a certain Benne and his kin. Benne is a short form of the personal name Bernhard. In North America this surname may also be an altered form of the Dutch cognate Bennink. Compare Bening.

North German: patronymic from Benn. English: from an unrecorded Middle English (Old English) personal name Benning a pet form of Old English Beonna perhaps derived from beorn ‘warrior’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Benning family from?

You can see how Benning families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Benning family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Benning families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 121 Benning families living in Buckinghamshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Benning's in United Kingdom. Buckinghamshire had the highest population of Benning families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Benning surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Benning ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Benning. 20% of Benning men worked as a Retired and 85% of Benning women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Benning were Gardener and Private Means.

View Census Data for Benning | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Retired
    20%
  • Metal Polisher
    14%
  • Carpenter
    14%
  • Gardener
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Benning family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Benning. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Benning census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Benning

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Benning. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Benning immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Benning. For the veterans among your Benning ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Benning military records

You've only scratched the surface of Benning family history

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What is the average Benning lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Benning life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Benning in 1950 was 42, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Benning

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Benning ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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