Benton – Name Meaning
The name Benton is of English origin and is derived from a surname. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words “beonet” and “tun”, which mean “bent hill” or “bent settlement”. The name has been in use since the Middle Ages and was popularized by the American statesman Thomas Hart Benton.
History
The name Benton has its roots in England, where it was first used as a surname. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words “beonet” and “tun”, which mean “bent hill” or “bent settlement”. The name was popularized by the American statesman Thomas Hart Benton, who served as a senator for Missouri from 1821 to 1851.
Popularity
Benton is not a particularly common name in the United States, but it does appear on the Social Security Administration’s list of top 1,000 baby names. In 2019, it ranked at number 890 with a total of 545 babies given the name that year. It is more popular in other countries such as Australia, where it ranked at number 602 in 2019.
Famous People Named Benton
There are several famous people named Benton, including:
- Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858), an American statesman who served as a senator for Missouri from 1821 to 1851.
- Benton MacKaye (1879-1975), an American forester and conservationist who developed the Appalachian Trail.
- Benton Paul (born 1988), an American singer-songwriter.
- Benton Fraser (played by Paul Gross), a character on the television series Due South.
Variations of the Name
The name Benton can also be spelled as Bennton or Bently. There are also several variations of the name that have different origins, such as Benito (Spanish) and Benet (French).
