The name Bennett comes from the first name Benedict. This name originates from the Latin word ‘benedictus’ which means ‘blessed’-a popular Christian name in late Roman times. It was also the name of the fifth-century founder of the Benedictine Order. Since that time, no fewer than fifteen popes have taken the name Benedict.

With the decay of Latin, the popular name Benedict was adapted into many languages. In Italian it became Benedetto, in French Benoit. The French form came to England with the Norman Conquest, then gradually evolved to Bennett. In the process many variations arose, some of which remain in common use today. Bennetts, for instance, means ‘dependant of Bennett’; Benson means ‘son of Bennett’, if it is not the alternative surname derived from the place in Oxfordshire. The surname Benn also derives from the old source (and, so far as we can tell, not from Benjamin). The variation Bennet is usually found in the north of the country.

The records of Furness Abbey, which was run by the Benedictine Order, indicate a great number of baptisms with the names of Bennet and Benson. Indeed, these names (the two most popular forms) are found to be particularly prevalent in areas where the Benedictine monks flourished. Other variations found in Benedictine baptismal records include the names Bennison, Benns, Bence, Bense, Bennie and Benny.

The earliest reference to a Bennett is in the 1193 records for Oseney Abbey. Here the name appears as Beneit, which is a variation of the Old French form. The earliest Bensons appear in the 1326 Rolls of Wakefield Manor, where John Benneson and Adam Bensome are listed. A rare variation of the name appears in Shakespeare. In Much Ado About Nothing one of the characters is called Benedick.

Bennett remained for many years a popular first name, but it is now rare. Likewise, the first name Ben is nowadays usually short for Benjamin, rather than for Benedict. Thus Bennett curiously remains a popular surname which derives from an original first name now almost unused.

Bennettitales is an alternative name for an extinct species of palm-like plants which constituted a major portion of the earth’s vegetation during the middle Mezozoic period some 150 million years ago.

Bennett’s Fracture is a fracture of the base of the thumb, named in honour of Edward Hallaron Bennett, the eminent Irish physician who was an expert on breaks and dislocations.

The geographical term ‘ben’ comes from the Gaelic word for peak (beann). Thus parts of Britain-especially Scotland and Ireland-abound in mountains incorporating the word: Ben Nevis, for instance, and Ben More.

There are no United Kingdom towns incorporating the name Bennett. Australia and the United States have Bennett mountains while New Zealand has a Cape Bennett.

With about 117,000 namesakes, Bennett is the 46th most popular surname in England and Wales. (The name is not common enough throughout Scotland to be counted separately.) Bennett is notably popular in and around Birmingham where an estimated one in about 420 families bears the name. In descending numerical order Bristol, Sheffield and Liverpool are other Bennett strongholds. Around the world Bennetts are most common in Sydney (one in 719 families), Canberra (one in 767) and Auckland (one in 805). The United States has more Bennetts than the entire population of Southampton-an estimated total of just under 255,000 makes this their 69th most popular surname.