Find out how popular the last name Beale is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Beale.

Beale, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Beale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beale in America

Beale is the 4764th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beale surname appeared 7,431 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Beale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beale to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Beale

The surname Beale is believed to have originated in England and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "beal" or "bel," meaning a hill or a ring-shaped area of land. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a hill or on elevated ground.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beale can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England. The name appears in various spellings, including Bele, Beale, and Bele.

In the medieval period, the name Beale was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England. Records from this time show individuals with the surname Beale holding land and occupying positions of authority in these areas.

One notable individual bearing the surname Beale was William Beale (c. 1460-1507), a merchant and politician from London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1494 and was a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers.

Another prominent figure was Robert Beale (c. 1541-1601), who served as a clerk and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. He was involved in various diplomatic missions and played a significant role in the intelligence network of the Elizabethan government.

In the 17th century, the name Beale was associated with the village of Beale in Worcestershire, which was likely named after an individual or family with the surname. A notable example is John Beale (1603-1683), a Puritan clergyman and author who served as the rector of Yealmpton in Devon.

The 18th century saw the rise of Mary Beale (1633-1699), one of the first professional female painters in England. She was renowned for her portraits and was appointed as the principal painter to Mary of Modena, the wife of King James II.

In the 19th century, Thomas Beale (1807-1849) was a prominent figure in Virginia, best known for allegedly leaving behind a treasure trove of valuables and encrypted texts, which became known as the "Beale Ciphers." The existence and authenticity of this treasure have been debated for decades.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Beale who have made their mark throughout history, reflecting the rich heritage and evolution of this English surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beale

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Beale.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Beale was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Beale has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Beale was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Beale, please contact us.

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