Bonin
A surname with more than one possible source, most often explained as a French or German name built from a short form like Bon, or as a regional surname associated with northern German noble lines.
The #8,226 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,536 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Bonin is not straightforwardly tied to a single origin. In French usage, it is commonly treated as a derivative of Bon, a name element based on Latin bon- meaning “good,” with Bonin functioning as a diminutive or extended form. German usage also includes Bonin as a surname, especially in historical noble families from northeastern Germany, but the ultimate root there is not certain from the excerpts alone.
History
The name appears in both French and German contexts, which makes it hard to assign one universal origin. Historical German records show the von Bonin family in northeastern Germany, while French onomastic works group Bonin with other names derived from Bon. In modern usage, the surname is also found in the United States, likely through immigration from one of these traditions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A historical German noble family carried the name von Bonin, which helped make the surname visible in northeastern German records.
From the historical record
“btiilceiji, builceiji, Butler. biiinneAn, Banane, Binane, Bonin, Bunyan ; Bennett. biii|i5eir. Burgess, Burges, etc. "bxjipjeip, Burris, etc. bxnjifeil, Burchell. bxni^eijt, Bowcher, Busher,”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames