Benson (surname)

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.

Benson

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 (footballer) (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 1962), 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
• Pat Benson, American actress, known for Tequila and Bonetti
• Patricia Benson (1941–2024), American artist
• 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
• Cynthia Benson, a character in the 1988 American fantasy comedy-drama movie Big
• 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, played by Mariska Hargitay
• 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