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Benbow History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Benbow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Benbow is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a person employed as an archer which is derived from the Old English words bend, which means to bend, and bowe which means bow. 1

Early Origins of the Benbow family

The surname Benbow was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire, where they family came descent from Benningbrough, a township, in the parish of Newton-upon-Ouse, union of York, wapentake of Bulmer. 2 3

Another source claims "Benbow is the name of an ancient Shropshire family, to which belonged Colonel Benbow, a zealous Royalist, who met his death at Shrewsbury in 1651 for corresponding with the King; from this stock also came Admiral Benbow, who was born, at Cotton Hill, Shrewsbury, in 1650. " 4

Early History of the Benbow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Benbow research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1349, 1440, 1545, 1585, 1607, 1623, 1653, 1681, 1702, 1708, 1729 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Benbow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Benbow Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Benbow has appeared include Benbow, Bendbow, Benbowe, Bendbowe, Benbough, Bendebowe and many more.

Early Notables of the Benbow family

Distinguished members of the family include

Rear-Admiral John Benbow (1653-1702), whose most famous exploit took place in August 1702 when he kept up a running fight for four days with a French squadron off St Marta in the West Indies after bei...
The 256797 Benbow main belt asteroid was named after the Admiral Benbow Inn, a tavern in Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel Treasure Island. His son, John Benbow (c.1681-1708), was an English travell...

Benbow Ranking

In the United States, the name Benbow is the 8,969^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Benbow migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Benbow arrived in North America very early:

Benbow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ann Benbow, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 6

Benbow Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Benbow, aged 30, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "St. Paul" in 1833 7
Joanna Benbow, aged 2, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "* Lee" in 1834 7
Mary Benbow, aged 52, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "United States" in 1836 7
William Benbow, aged 27, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "England" in 1840 7
John Benbow, aged 40, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "North America" in 1840 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Benbow migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Benbow Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Benbow, British convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Elizabeth Benbow, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Santipore" in 1848 9
Mrs. Benbow, aged 38, a matron, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Star Queen" 10
Ann Benbow, aged 13, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Star Queen" 10
Ellen Benbow, aged 11, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Star Queen" 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Benbow Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Mr. Benbow, settler from London who arrived in Eastern States, Australia aboard the ship "Omrah" in 1909 11
Mrs. Benbow, settler from London who arrived in Eastern States, Australia aboard the ship "Omrah" in 1909 11
Miss A. H. Benbow, settler from London who arrived in Melbourne, Australia aboard the ship "Orvieto" in 1928 11

Benbow migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Benbow Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Benbow, (b. 1863), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 12
Mr. William Benbow, (b. 1827), aged 36, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 12
Mrs. Mary Benbow, (b. 1828), aged 35, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 12
Miss Anne Benbow, (b. 1852), aged 11, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 12
Mr. James Benbow, (b. 1854), aged 9, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Benbow (post 1700) +

Leon Benbow (b. 1950), retired American NBA basketball player
Warren Benbow (b. 1954), American drummer, original member of James Blood Ulmer's band 'Odyssey'
Terence H. Benbow, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 16th District, 1954
Loretta Benbow, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives 20th District, 1978
John T. Benbow, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1912
William Benbow (1784-1841), English nonconformist preacher, pamphleteer and publisher, known for popularising the idea of a General Strike
Leonard "Len" Benbow (1876-1946), English footballer
Captain Edwin Louis Benbow (1895-1918), English flying ace during the First World War, credited with eight victories
Kay Benbow (1961-2024), British broadcasting executive, and was the Controller of the BBC channel CBeebies from 2010 to 2017
Mr. William Benbow, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1499 to 1500
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SANTIPORE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Santipore.htm
South Australian Register Monday 1st January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Star Queen 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/starqueen1854.shtml
National Archives of Australia retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/PassengerListing.aspx
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html