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

Bean, 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 Bean surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bean in America

Bean is the 926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bean surname appeared 37,571 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Bean.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bean 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 Bean

The surname Bean is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bean" or "bene," which referred to the legume or edible seed. The name likely originated as a nickname or occupational name for someone who cultivated, sold, or enjoyed beans.

The earliest known record of the Bean surname dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1182 as "Willelmus Bene." The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 as "Thomas le Bene."

In the 13th century, the name was found in various forms, such as "le Bene," "Bene," and "Beane," reflecting regional dialects and spelling variations common during that time. The surname may also be connected to places like Bean in Hampshire or Beane in Hertfordshire, which could have influenced the name's development.

Notable individuals with the surname Bean include Robert Bean (c. 1608–1680), an English Puritan minister and co-founder of the town of Exeter, New Hampshire. Another was Obadiah Bean (1750-1834), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War from Massachusetts.

In the 19th century, John Wesley Bean (1825-1887) was a prominent Methodist minister and educator in Missouri, while Thomas Ellwood Bean (1869-1947) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the Premier of British Columbia from 1937 to 1941.

One of the most famous bearers of the name was Roy Bean (1825-1903), known as the "Law West of the Pecos" for his unconventional approach to justice as a judge in Texas during the Wild West era.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have carried the Bean surname, originating from its humble roots as a descriptive name related to the humble legume.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bean

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

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 Bean 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 Bean 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 Bean was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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