Bentham

Bentham is a surname that originated from a place name in England. It is derived from the Old English words 'beonet' meaning 'bent grass' (a type of coarse grass) and 'ham' meaning 'homestead' or 'settlement'. Thus, it literally means 'the homestead where bent grass grows'.

The surname has been in use for centuries, and like many English place-name surnames, it eventually transitioned into a given name, though it remains much rarer as a first name than as a surname. Its usage as a first name is often associated with families who held the surname or wished to honor individuals with that surname.