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Bennett Family History

Bennett Name Meaning

English: from the medieval personal name Benedict (Latin Benedictus meaning ‘blessed’). In the 12th century the Latin form of the name is found in England alongside versions derived from the Old French form Beneit, Benoit, which was common among the Normans. See also Benedict.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Bonnet, Jennett, Kennett, Dennett, Benet, Beckett, Barnett, Basnett

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Bennett family from?

You can see how Bennett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bennett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bennett families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7,122 Bennett families living in London. This was about 14% of all the recorded Bennett's in the UK. London had the highest population of Bennett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bennett 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 Bennett ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Bennett. 7% of Bennett men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Bennett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bennett were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census data for Bennett | 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

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Bricklayer
    2%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bennett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Bennett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bennett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bennett

Passenger Lists

There are 197,000 immigration records available for the last name Bennett. 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 Bennett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 291,000 military records available for the last name Bennett. For the veterans among your Bennett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Bennett family history.

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What is the average Bennett lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bennett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bennett in 1940 was 44, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bennett

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