Bannen
A locational surname originating from a place called Bannen in Scotland.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 240 Americans carry the last name Bannen. That puts it at #91,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,428,143 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bannen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
240
1 in 1,428,143
Census rank
#91,221
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
202
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 202 bearers of the surname Bannen in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 91221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bannen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bannen
The surname Bannen has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an anglicized variation of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Banain," which means "descendant of Banan." The name Banan itself is derived from the Irish word "ban," meaning "white" or "fair," suggesting that the original bearer of the name may have had fair hair or a pale complexion.
The Bannen surname was predominantly found in County Armagh and County Down, in the northern part of Ireland. Some early records show the name spelled as "Banan," "Bannan," or "Bannin," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.
One of the earliest documented references to the Bannen surname can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of records from the 16th century. In these records, a certain Donell Banan is mentioned in connection with a land grant in County Down in the year 1587.
In the 17th century, the Bannen name appeared in the Muster Rolls of the Cromwellian Plantation in Ireland, which documented the settlement of English and Scottish colonists in various parts of the country. This suggests that some members of the Bannen family may have been involved in these colonization efforts.
Notable individuals with the surname Bannen include:
1. Patrick Bannen (1787-1857), an Irish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the President of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth, Ireland.
2. John Walshe Bannen (1824-1901), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the County Armagh constituency in the late 19th century.
3. James Bannen (1845-1918), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Bannen Distillery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
4. Michael Bannen (1887-1966), an Irish-American actor and theater director who had a successful career on Broadway and in Hollywood films.
5. William Bannen (1901-1986), an Irish-born American lawyer and judge who served as a federal judge for the Northern District of Illinois.
The Bannen surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Bannen's Bay in County Down and Bannen's Bridge in County Armagh. These locations may have been named after prominent members of the Bannen family or derived from other variations of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bannen
Among Census respondents with the surname Bannen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bannen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bannen surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5%
- Hispanic or Latino4.0%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bannen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #91,221 | #91,221 | 0.0% |
| Count | 202 | 202 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Bannen bearers went from 202 to 202 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #91,221 to #91,221.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bannen
FAQ
Bannen surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bannen?
The surname Bannen holds position #91,221 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 240 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bannen surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bannen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.