This famous surname, one of the earliest recorded in history, and recorded in over two hundred spellings from Benedicte, Benech, Bennis and Bennet, to Banish, Beinosovitch and Vedyasov, derives from the Roman personal name "Benedictus", meaning blessed. The name owed its original popularity to St. Benedict (circa 480 - 550), who founded the Benedictine order of monks at Monte Cassino in Italy, and wrote the monastic rules that formed a model for all subsequent orders. The name was originally given only to members of the church, and particularly those in monastic orders.
It became popular as a personal name for all members of society only after the famous Crusades to the Holy Land in the 12th century when it became the practice for returning soldiers or pilgrims to call their children after saints or prominent members of the early church. These personal names became surnames over the next two centuries, the first surnames being recorded in England, those on the continent generally being rather later. The French variants "Beneit or Benoit" being short forms of Benedictus, were the most usual spellings. Amongst the early examples of the surname recording are those of Robert Benyt of Yorkshire, England, in 1327, and Hainrich Benedicte of St Blazien, Germany, in the year 1330. Amongst the early settlers to the New England colonies of America was Edward Bennett of Wariscovack, Virgina. He was a major landowner, and is known to have employed at least twelve servants. The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is believed to be that of William Benet, which was dated 1208, in the rolls of the city of Durham, England. This was during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216.
Research into the possible origins of bennis leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname.
There is a considerable probability that bennis has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where bennis is most abundant are the following.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named bennis are found in every look back in the history of this lineage.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of bennis could be modified.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname bennis, even though not all have been documented to our present day. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname bennis who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname bennis, which allows us to learn more about its meaning.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of bennis, and at the same time, of surnames in general.