Benton Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Benton last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Benton last name
Meaning of the Benton last name: bean farmstead. Benton is an English surname from Long and Little Benton in Northumberland, a name meaning "farmstead where beans or bent grass grew". The last name spread from the north of England to the south and to the colonies. A curious detail of this surname origin: a Missouri senator of the name championed the move west, and a later relative became a well-known American painter.
Arms associated with the Benton name
In England younger sons added small heraldic marks to their father's coat of arms, so relatives named Benton could each carry a slightly different shield.
Get your full Benton family history
This is only a glimpse of the Benton story. The full Benton history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Benton coat of arms. Get the full Benton report.
Benton name FAQ
What does the Benton name mean?
Bean farmstead. Common variants include Bentone, Bentoun.
Where does the Benton surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Benton coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Benton coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).