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Benson Family History

Benson Surname Meaning

English: patronymic from the medieval personal name Ben(ne) a pet form of Benedict (see Benn) + -son. English: habitational name from a place in Oxfordshire named Benson from Old English Benesingtūn ‘settlement (Old English tūn) associated with Benesa’ a personal name of obscure origin perhaps a derivative of Bana meaning ‘slayer’.

Americanized form of any of various Scandinavian patronymics from the personal name Bengt, Bendt, etc. Scandinavian forms of Benedict e.g. Swedish Bengtsson, Danish Bendtsen, Danish and Norwegian Bentsen. Compare Bensen.

In some cases also an Americanized form of Norwegian and Danish Berntsen or Bernsen and probably also of Swedish Berntsson (see Berntson) or Bernsson. Compare Bensen 3 and Bernson.

German: patronymic from a short form of the personal name Benjamin or Bernhard. Jewish (Ashkenazic): patronymic from a pet form of the personal name Beniamin (see Bien, Benjamin) + German Sohn ‘son’.

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


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Where is the Benson family from?

You can see how Benson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Benson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Benson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 561 Benson families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Benson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Benson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Benson 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 Benson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Benson. 36% of Benson men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Benson women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Benson were Carpenter and Housewife.

View Census Data for Benson | 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
    36%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Income
    10%
  • Housewife
    8%

What Benson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 557,000 census records available for the last name Benson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Benson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Benson

Passenger Lists

There are 73,000 immigration records available for the last name Benson. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 91,000 military records available for the last name Benson. For the veterans among your Benson 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 Benson family history

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What is the average Benson lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Benson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Benson in 1940 was 42, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Benson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Benson 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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