The Bent surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,785 people carried this name — #7,001 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 61,700 people counted. That is up 14% from 4,215 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Bent surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the Bend’.

His entry covers Bent and Bente.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 95 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Bent was found among the farmers of Lancashire: 13 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Lancashire 13

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

32 Bent families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 189 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 25
New Hampshire 2
Maryland 2
Rhode Island 1
New York 1
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 229 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Bent in American newspapers,
1890–1905.

Newspaper page from The Weekly Messenger carrying the name Bent
The Weekly Messenger 1905-10-21
Newspaper page from The Weekly Messenger carrying the name Bent
The Weekly Messenger 1905-08-05
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Bent
The Anaconda Standard 1890-03-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,733 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Bent in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

155,834 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bent. The most, 84,494, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 92,259
New South Wales 28,848
South Australia 11,976
Queensland 9,092
Western Australia 7,017
Tasmania 6,426
ACT (Canberra) 96
Northern Territory 38

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bent.

Who carried it

People named Bent,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Hannah Bent d. 1852
  • Johannes Bent 1636–1674 · cleric
  • Silas Bent 1744–1818
  • Robert Bent 1745–1832 · politician
  • Robert Bent 1745–1832 · politician
  • Robert Bent 1745–1832

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Bent,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States663 records

663 records of the Bent name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 164
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 152
  • Other U.S. records 347
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William H. Bent

    Born 1916 in New York. Enlisted 1941 at Brooklyn; office clerk from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1959, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John W. Bent

    Born 1920 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1942 at Boston; garage worker from Middlesex County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Pine Hill Cemetery, Sherborn, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Frank J. Bent

    Born 1918 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1943 at Boston; farm hand from Plymouth County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1982, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 663 records for Bent in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Canada1,393 records

1,393 records of the Bent name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1,352
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 12
  • Other Canadian records 29
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alina Bent

    Buried in 1959 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 80.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Owen Leroy Bent

    Buried in 1975 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 89.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harvey Bent

    Died 1930 in Waterville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 1,393 records for Bent in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands1,111 records

1,111 records of the Bent name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 391
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 370
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 350
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Bent

    Married in 1820 in Hoorn; fisherman. Died 1877 in Hoorn, aged 86.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Janna Bent

    Married in 1822 in Aalten; maidservant. Died 1853 in Aalten, aged 65.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Alida Johanna Bent

    Born 1885 in Weststellingwerf. Married in 1910 in Weststellingwerf. Died 1966 in Utrecht, aged 81.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,111 records for Bent in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia410 records

410 records of the Bent name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 239
  • Tasmanian Names Index 72
  • Other Australian records 99
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Amelia Bent

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Bent

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Atlas, arriving 1802; ticket of leave 1811.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fanny Bent

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Monteagle, aged 5; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 410 records for Bent in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany24 records

24 records of the Bent name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Bent

    Born 1896; from Eversmeer. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 30 November 1918 (Fusilier Regiment No. 73).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Rolf Bent

    From Eversmeer, Wittmund. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 13 September 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 74).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 24 records for Bent in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Bent name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Bent

    Buried in 1801 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 62.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Philip Eric Bent

    Died 1917. Named in the roll of honour of the Royal High School of Edinburgh (1920).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 2 of 12 records for Bent in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France8 records

8 records of the Bent name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Henri Edouard Yves Bent

    Born 1930 in Bordeaux (Gironde); died 1985 in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Clemence Marie Bent

    Born 1891 in Bagnères-de-Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées); died 1980 in Montpellier (Hérault).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Bent in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Bent name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Janey Matilda Lilley Bent

    Died 1916, aged 37; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Burnett Bent

    Died 1977, aged 39; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Bent in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Norway5 records

5 records of the Bent name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Olaf Bent

    Census of 1910: Flatland, Norderhov; born 1906 in S. Land.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Petra Bent

    Census of 1910: Flatland, Norderhov; born 1867 in Norderhov.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Bent in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Switzerland1 record

1 record of the Bent name in Switzerland Zürich marriage records, 16th–18th centuries
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Allida Bent

    Married in 1794 in Rorbas, canton of Zürich; of Delfshaven (Niederlande).

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Bent.

When the index is not enough

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