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Benney Family History

Benney Surname Meaning

English (Cornwall): from a Middle English personal name Ben(n)y a diminutive of Ben(n) a pet form of Benet (Benedict) + the hypocoristic suffix -y.

See Benn 1 and Benedict.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Benney family from?

You can see how Benney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Benney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Benney families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 172 Benney families living in Cornwall. This was about 37% of all the recorded Benney's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Benney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Benney 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 Benney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Benney. 23% of Benney men worked as a Farmer and 76% of Benney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Benney were Dairy Farmer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Benney | 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

  • Farmer
    23%
  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Farm Labourer
    10%
  • Dairy Farmer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Benney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Benney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Benney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Benney

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Benney. 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 Benney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Benney. For the veterans among your Benney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Benney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Benney family history

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What is the average Benney lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Benney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Benney in 1954 was 48, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Benney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Benney 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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