Benson (surname)

Benson is a common patronymic surname of English origin meaning "son of Ben" (Benedict, Benjamin, Bennett). Benson is uncommon as a first name, but quite common as a surname in English speaking countries.

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
 * Pat Benson, American actress, known for Tequila and Bonetti
 * 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