The Bentley surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 40,193 people carried this name — #862 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 7,340 people counted. That is up 4% from 38,714 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Bentley surname
An English habitational surname from Old English.
From Old English Beonetlēah. Originally a Sussex habitational name, the word lēah or lēag meaning field in Old English. Hence, equivalent to bent (“bent-grass”) + -leigh/lea (“meadow, field”); compare Bentham.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Bentley» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 26 people named Bentley.
Most of them — 15 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Marne.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
24 people named Bentley live in Switzerland.
They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In the Nordic population registers
64 people named Bentley is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Bentley was found among the farmers of 8 counties.
It was most frequent in Dorset: 26 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 385. 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 mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
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 Scotland’s registers today
Bentley was recorded 18 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 1248th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 14. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
132 families named Bentley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 732 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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
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
Bentley in American newspapers,
1917.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,925 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Bentley in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.
57,363 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bentley. The most, 9,471, date from the 1910s.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bentley.
Who carried it
People named Bentley,
with a public archive behind them.
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William A. Bentley d. 1920 · politician
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Harry Bentley d. 1999 · painter
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John Bentley d. 1772 · naval officer
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John Bentley d. 1772 · naval officer
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Anne Bentley d. 1774
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Emma Geraldine Stoney d. 1932
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Bentley,
in the records of 8 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 States3,075 records
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,249
- U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 496
- Other U.S. records 1,330
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Francis H. BentleyBorn 1931; from Middlesex County, New Jersey. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in South Korea. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Leon R. BentleyBorn 1921 in Oregon. Enlisted 1942 at Portland; office clerk from Marion County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1944, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Frederick BentleyArrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool, aged 29; spinner. From Rawtenstall, England; bound for Boston.
U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
Showing 3 of 3,075 records for Bentley in the United States.
Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · 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) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
Australia2,045 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 901
- Tasmanian Names Index 555
- Other Australian records 589
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Mary BentleyTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Atwick, sailing from London in 1837. Native of Linlithgow, West Lothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1838.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Thomas BentleyTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Barossa, sailing from Sheerness in 1841. Native of Nottinghamshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Launceston, Tasmania.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record John BentleyTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Candahar, sailing from Spithead in 1842. Native of Soho, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 2,045 records for Bentley in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).
Canada521 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 388
- Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 46
- Other Canadian records 87
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Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Etta Ashade BentleyKilled in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 24; buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Stella Muriel BentleyBuried in 1994 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 88.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Glen McAllister BentleyBuried in 1996 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 43.
Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
Showing 3 of 521 records for Bentley in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom120 records
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 88
- St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 19
- Other British records 13
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Charlotte BentleyBuried in 1927 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 62.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: probate petition, 1848 Probate record Hugh BentleyWill proved in 1936; of Llanfairneubwll, Anglesea.
National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) -
Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919 War record Charles Arthur Campbell BentleyBorn 1878. Died 1914. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.
National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
Showing 3 of 120 records for Bentley 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 Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).
New Zealand30 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 23
- Marlborough District cemetery records 4
- Other New Zealand records 3
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Joan BentleyDied 1952, aged 70; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Christina Annie BentleyDied 1976, aged 71; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Harold Cornelius BentleyDied 1998, aged 78; buried at Whangamata Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 30 records for Bentley in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri 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).
Netherlands28 records
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 22
- Dutch population registers 6
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Example: civil register, 1880 Death record Mary Ann BentleyBorn 1850 in 's-Gravenhage. Died 1921 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 71.
Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: civil register, 1880 Death record André William BentleyDied 1942 in Alkmaar, aged 20.
Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: U.S. census, 1910 Population register George BentleyIn the population register of Den Helder; born 1837 in Londen.
Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Alkmaar (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 28 records for Bentley in the Netherlands.
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).
France8 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Jean Victor Jules BentleyBorn 1908 in Reims (Marne); died 1973 in Toulon (Var).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Jeanne Elise Marcelle BentleyBorn 1912 in Reims (Marne); died 1981 in Coulommiers (Seine-et-Marne).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 2 of 8 records for Bentley 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).
Belgium1 record
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Example: civil register, 1880 Death record Fanny BentleyDied 1909 in Gent.
Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Bentley.
- Bens 335 · U.S. census
- Bense 311 · U.S. census
- Bensimon 276 · U.S. census
- Benso 120 · U.S. census
- Benson 86,081 · U.S. census
- Bent 4,785 · U.S. census
- Bento 2,596 · U.S. census
- Benton 37,912 · U.S. census
- Bentz 5,923 · U.S. census
- Bentzinger 259 · U.S. census
- Benveniste 310 · U.S. census
- Benvenuti 633 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Bentley is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.