Benson is a common patronymic surname of English origin meaning "son of Ben" (Benedict, Benjamin, Bennett).[1][2] Benson is uncommon as a first name, but quite common as a surname in English speaking countries.
| Language(s) | English |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | "Son of Ben" |
| Region of origin | England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Benison, Bensone, Bennison, Bennsone, Bennisoun, Bennisone |
| Frequency Comparisons:[1] | |
Notable people with the name Benson include:
- A. C. Benson (1862–1925), English poet and essayist
- A. V. Benson (1869–1939), South Australian medical doctor and sports enthusiast
- Ada Benson (1840–1882), British headmistress and educationist
- Adolph B. Benson (1881–1961), Swedish-American educator and historian
- Al Benson (1908–1978), American radio DJ, music promoter and record label owner
- Al Benson (basketball), American professional basketball player
- Alexander Benson (1872–1947), American diplomat
- Alfred W. Benson (1843–1916), United States Senator from Kansas
- Allan L. Benson (1871–1940), American journalist and Socialist presidential candidate
- Allen Benson (1908–1999), American professional baseball player
- Amber Benson (born 1977), American actress
- Ambrosius Benson (c. 1495/1500–1550), Italian painter, part of the Northern Renaissance
- Andrew Benson (1917–2015), American chemist
- Anna Benson (born 1976), American model
- Annette Benson (1895–1965), British film actress
- Sir Arthur Benson (1907–1987), British colonial administrator and governor
- Arthur W. Benson (c. 1798–1889), American industrialist and real-estate developer
- Ashley Benson (born 1989), American actress
- Aslag Benson (1855–1937), member of the North Dakota Senate from 1903 to 1906
- Barry W. Benson (c. 1811–1839), secretary of state of Mississippi
- Benny Benson (1913–1972), creator of Alaska's state flag
- Bernadette Benson, Canadian born athlete specialising in ultra distance events
- Bernard Benson (1922–1996), British inventor, author of The Peace Book
- Bertil W. Benson (1843–1907), Norwegian-born American politician in North Dakota
- Bill Benson (rugby league) (1893–1968), Australian rugby league player
- Bob Benson (1883–1916), English professional footballer
- Bobby Benson (1922–1983), Nigerian entertainer and musician who influenced the Nigerian music scene
- Brad Benson (born 1955), American football player
- Brendan Benson (born 1970), American musician
- Bruce Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Bryan Benson, Governor of the Bank of England from 1735 to 1737
- Carl Benson, pseudonym of American writer Charles Astor Bristed (1820–1874)
- Carla L. Benson, American vocalist, most known for her recorded background vocals
- Carville Benson (1872–1929), American politician
- Catherine Benson (born 1992), American rugby union player
- Catherine Brewer Benson (1822–1908), one of the earliest women to earn a college bachelor's degree in the U.S.
- Cedric Benson (1982–2019), American football player for the Green Bay Packers
- Charles Benson (born 1960), American professional football defensive end
- Chima Simone Benson (born 1982), American TV personality and freelance journalist
- Christopher Benson (businessman) (1933–2024), British company director and chairman of public bodies
- Christopher Benson (theologian) (1788–1868), Cambridge educated theologian
- Claus Benson (1889-?), American basketball player
- Cliff Benson (born 1961), American football tight end
- Connie Benson (1889–1969), Canadian professional ice hockey player
- Constance Benson (1864–1946), British stage and film actress
- Constantine Walter Benson (1909–1982), British ornithologist
- Craig Benson (born 1954), American businessman and politician
- Craig Benson (swimmer) (born 1994), Scottish double Olympian (London 2012 and Rio 2016)
- David Benson-Pope (born 1950), New Zealand politician
- Dee Benson (1948–2020), American judge
- Doug Benson (born 1964), American comedian and actor
- Duane Benson (1945–2019), American football player and politician
- E. F. Benson (Edward Frederic Benson, 1867–1940), English novelist
- Edgar Benson (1923–2011), Canadian politician
- Edward Benson (bishop) (Edward White Benson, 1829–1896), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Edwin Benson (1931–2016), American educator
- Egbert Benson (1746–1833), American politician and jurist
- Elizabeth English Benson (1904–1972), American educator
- Elmer Austin Benson (1895–1985), American politician
- Eva Benson (1875–1949), Australian artist
- Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994), American politician and the 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Frank Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Fred Benson (born 1994), Dutch-Ghanaian footballer
- Gayle Benson (born 1947), American businesswoman and sports team owner
- George Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Gordon Benson (born 1994), British triathlete
- Harry Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Herbert Benson (1935–2022), American physician
- Henry N. Benson (1872–1960), American politician
- Herbert Benson (1935–2022), American cardiologist and Harvard professor, author of The Relaxation Response
- Howard Benson (born 1956), American music producer
- Ivy Benson (1913–1993), British bandleader
- James Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Jane Benson, contemporary English artist
- Jessica Benson (born 1988), American singer
- Jo Jo Benson (1938–2014), stage name of Joseph M. Hewell, American R&B and soul singer
- Joan Benson (1925–2020), American keyboard player
- Joanne Benson (born 1943), American politician
- Jocelyn Benson (born 1977), American academic and politician
- Jodi Benson (born 1961), American voice actress and singer
- John Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Karl Benson (born 1951), American college sports administrator
- Kent Benson (born 1954), American basketball player
- Kris Benson (born 1974), American baseball player
- Lee Benson, American sports writer
- Louisa Benson (1941–2010), Burmese beauty pageant winner and Karen rebel leader
- Margaret Benson (1865–1916), English author and amateur Egyptologist
- Margaret Jane Benson (1859–1936), British botanist and scholar
- Mark Benson (engineer), German-born inventor of the Benson boiler
- Mark Benson (born 1958), English cricketer
- Martin Benson (actor) (1918–2010), British actor
- Martin Benson (bishop) (1689–1752), English churchman, Archdeacon of Berkshire and Bishop of Gloucester
- Mary Benson (hostess) (1841–1918), English hostess
- Mary Benson (campaigner) (1919–2000), South African writer and anti-apartheid activist
- Michael Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Mildred Benson (1905–2002), American writer
- Mykel Benson (born 1987), American football player
- Nicholas John Benson (born 1961), Ghanaian-American soldier, lawyer, businessman, writer
- Nicholas Benson (born 1964), American stone carver
- Nigel Benson (born 1955), British author and illustrator
- Ole E. Benson (1866–1952), American politician
- Perry Benson (born 1961), English actor
- Ray Benson (born 1951), American actor and composer
- Raymond Benson (born 1955), American author
- Renaldo Benson ("Obie" Benson, 1936–2005), American soul and R&B singer and songwriter
- Rex Benson (merchant banker) (1889–1968), English merchant banker and army officer
- Rhian Benson (born 1977), Ghanaian singer
- Richard Benson (musician) (1955–2022), English-Italian guitarist
- Richard Meux Benson (1824–1915), Anglican clergyman and founder of an Anglican religious order
- Rita Romilly Benson (1900–1980), American actress and acting teacher
- Robert Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Ron Benson (1925–1997), English professional footballer
- Sally Benson (1897–1972), American screenwriter
- Sally Benson (professor), professor of energy engineering at Stanford University
- Sam Benson (1909–1995), Australian politician
- Samuel P. Benson (1804–1876), United States Representative from Maine
- Seve Benson (born 1986), English professional golfer
- Shaun Benson (born 1976), Canadian actor
- Shebin Benson (born 1995), Indian film actor from the Malayalam film industry
- Sheila Benson, American journalist and film critic
- Sheri Benson, Canadian politician
- Simon Benson (1851–1942), Norwegian-born American logging entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Stella Benson (1892–1933), English feminist, novelist, poet, and travel writer
- Stephanie Benson (Princess Akua Ohenewaa Asieanem of Kokobin), UK based Ghanaian singer and performer
- Stephen Allen Benson (1816–1865), President of Liberia 1856–1864
- Steve Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Susan Porter Benson (1943–2005), American historian
- T. D. Benson (1857–1926), British socialist activist
- T. O. S. Benson (1917–2008), Nigerian lawyer
- Taylor Benson (1922–1996), member of the Wisconsin State Senate
- Teco Benson, Nigerian film director and producer
- Tom Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Tony Benson (athlete) (born 1942), Australian long-distance runner
- Tony Benson (rugby league) (born 1965), New Zealand rugby league coach
- Trent Benson (born 1971), South Korean-born American murderer
- Trinity Benson (born 1997), American football player
- Troy Benson (born 1963), professional American football player
- Trudy Benson (born 1985), American artist
- Vern Benson (1924–2014), American baseball player
- Violet Benson (online alias Daddy Issues), Russian-born American Internet personality
- Warren Benson (1924–2005), American composer and timpanist
- Wayne Benson, American mandolinist and songwriter in the bluegrass tradition
- Wendy Benson (born 1971), American actress seen in many television shows
- Will Benson (born 1998), American baseball player
- William Benson (disambiguation), several people
- Zach Benson (born 2005), Canadian ice hockey player
Fictional characters
- Carly Corinthos (née Benson), role played by Sarah Joy Brown and Laura Wright in American soap opera General Hospital
- Freddie Benson, role played by Nathan Kress in American TV sitcom iCarly
- Kurt Benson, character in British soap opera Hollyoaks
- Olivia Benson, character in American police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Benson, brother-in-law of Deputy Arthel Queen in the novel Deliverance
- Jamesir Bensonmum, character played by Sir Alec Guinness in the 1976 comedy film Murder by Death
- Zoe Benson, character played by Taissa Farmiga in American Horror Story: Coven
- Barry B. Benson, Bee protagonist played by Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie
- Benson Dunwoody, a main character in the animated television series Regular Show
- Benson, one of two main protagonists in the novel Memorial by Bryan Washington
See also
- Benton (surname)
- Bernson, surname
- Benson family tree showing the relationship between some of the above
- Bason
- Beson
References
This page lists people with the surname Benson.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.