This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Bentley family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Bentley Family History

Bentley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places the chief of which are in Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and East and South Yorkshire. The placename is from Old English beonet ‘bent grass’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

In some cases also an Americanized form of South German Bentele or of its Swiss German or South German cognates Bandle and Bandli.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bentley family from?

You can see how Bentley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bentley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bentley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 244 Bentley families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Bentley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bentley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bentley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Bentley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bentley. 42% of Bentley men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Bentley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bentley were Carpenter and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Bentley | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    42%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Nurse
    11%
  • Clerk
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    9%

What Bentley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 391,000 census records available for the last name Bentley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bentley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Bentley

Passenger Lists

There are 32,000 immigration records available for the last name Bentley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bentley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 43,000 military records available for the last name Bentley. For the veterans among your Bentley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bentley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bentley family history

Discover More

What is the average Bentley lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bentley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Bentley in 1940 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bentley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bentley 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bentley family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial