Explore the Family Name Bingham
The meaning of Bingham
1. English (Dorset) and Irish (County Mayo): habitational name from Bingham (Nottinghamshire). The placename is probably from an Old English folk-name Bynningas (‘the people associated with a man named Bynna’), or possibly from an unattested Old English word bing ‘a kettle-shaped hollow’, + Old English hām ‘homestead’. 2. Irish (Ulster, of Scottish origin): altered form of Bigham. 3. American shortened and altered form of various like-sounding Jewish surnames such as Bingenheimer. History: Some time before 1243 Robert de Bingham of Nottinghamshire acquired by marriage a manor in Melcombe (Dorset), later known as Bingham’s Melcombe. In the 1580s and 1590s three brothers in this branch of the family were awarded estates in County Mayo (Ireland) following their military suppression of Irish rebels on behalf of Elizabeth 1. In 1598 the older brother, Sir Richard Bingham (c.1528–99), was appointed Marshal of Ireland. The Anglo-Irish family’s main estate was at Castlebar (Mayo) and c.1710 they re-named the town and lands of Ballymashedon (Mayo) as Binghamstown. In 1795 Charles Bingham (1735–99) was created Earl of Lucan. William Bingham, born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1752, was a prominent land speculator and founder of the Bank of North America in 1781. Hiram Bingham, born in Bennington, VT, in 1789, was a missionary to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bingham in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Bingham" saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 1,332 and slightly dropped to 1,360 in 2010, marking a -2.1% change. Despite the drop in rank, the count of individuals with this surname increased from 24,327 in 2000 to 25,941 in 2010, signifying a growth of 6.63%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a minimal decline from 9.02 to 8.79, indicating a -2.55% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,332 | #1,360 | -2.1% |
| Count | 24,327 | 25,941 | 6.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 9.02 | 8.79 | -2.55% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bingham
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Bingham" also experienced some shifts over the decade, as indicated by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The most common ethnicity among those with the Bingham surname remains White, although this group has seen a slight decrease from 84.32% in 2000 to 82.00% in 2010. Meanwhile, there were significant increases among Hispanics (from 1.39% to 2.29%) and those who identify with two or more races (from 1.42% to 1.89%). The percentage of Binghams identifying as Black slightly rose from 11.93% to 12.70%. There were also minor growths within Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups, increasing by 21.05% and 19.64%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.32% | 82% | -2.75% |
| Black | 11.93% | 12.7% | 6.45% |
| Hispanic | 1.39% | 2.29% | 64.75% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 1.89% | 33.1% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0.67% | 19.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.46% | 21.05% |
Bingham ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bingham is British & Irish, which comprises 55.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.2%) and Scandinavian (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.0% |
| French & German | 23.2% |
| Scandinavian | 5.1% |
| Other | 16.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Bingham
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bingham have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
What Bingham haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bingham is R-Z346, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z346 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z8 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pennington, Holder, Cheek, Bland, Brooke, Latham, Marvin, Maples, Ratcliff, Clough.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bingham surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Bingham have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Bingham" Surname 48.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Bingham" Surname 25.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bingham" Surname 19.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Bingham" Surname 19.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bingham?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bingham are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition