2000
#679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 46,179
First available Census row
Per 100,000 17.12
Uncommon Last name
Beasley
Derived from an English place name meaning "the clearing frequented by beasts or wild animals."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 52,106 Americans carry the last name Beasley. That puts it at #746 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 15.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,578 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beasley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Beasley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
52K
1 in 6,578
Census rank
#746
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
15.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
45K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 45,439 bearers of the surname Beasley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 15.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 746th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beasley, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (27.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beasley
The surname Beasley originated in England, specifically in the county of Derbyshire, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bæcc" meaning "stream" or "brook" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a stream in a meadow or clearing.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Beasley dates back to the late 12th century, when it was spelled as "Beckeslea." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form of Beasley. The name can also be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire from 1273, where it appears as "Bekkesley."
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Beasley was John Beasley, who was born around 1450 in Derbyshire. He was mentioned in local records as a landowner and farmer. Another notable figure was William Beasley (1529-1593), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the name Beasley gained recognition through the work of Henry Beasley (1613-1668), an English Puritan minister and author known for his religious writings. His son, also named Henry Beasley (1637-1702), followed in his footsteps and became a Puritan minister as well.
During the 18th century, the Beasley family established themselves as landowners and gentry in various parts of England. One notable member was Sir Jonathan Beasley (1720-1789), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark.
In the 19th century, the name Beasley spread beyond England, with individuals bearing the surname migrating to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. One notable figure from this period was Samuel Beasley (1811-1876), an American politician who served as the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1858 to 1859.
Throughout its history, the surname Beasley has been associated with numerous individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, clergymen, merchants, and landowners. While the name originated in a specific region of England, it has since spread globally, reflecting the migration patterns and diverse backgrounds of those who carry it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beasley
Among Census respondents with the surname Beasley, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (27.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Beasley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Beasley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.9% · 29,058
- Black or African American27.4% · 12,448
- Two or more races4.6% · 2,070
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 1,338
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 273
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 252
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beasley
Beasley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 47,693
+1,514 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 16.17
Rank movement Down 53 places
2020
#746
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 45,439
-2,254 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 15.20
Rank movement Down 14 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #679 | 46,179 | 17.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #732 | 47,693 | 16.17 | +1,514 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 53 places |
| 2020 | #746 | 45,439 | 15.20 | -2,254 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 14 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Beasley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #732 | #746 | -1.9% |
| Count | 47,693 | 45,439 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 16.17 | 15.20 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beasley bearers went from 47,693 to 45,439 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 14 positions in the national ranking, going from #732 to #746.
FAQ
Beasley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beasley?
Name Census estimates that about 52,106 living Americans carry the surname Beasley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,578 residents.
How common is Beasley?
Beasley ranks #746 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 15.20 per 100,000 residents, which is about 15 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 45,439 people with the surname Beasley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (52,106), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 15.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 15.20 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 15 of them to have the surname Beasley.
Has Beasley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beasley went from 47,693 recorded bearers to 45,439. That is a decrease of 2,254 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #732 to #746.
What does the Census say about the background of Beasley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beasley, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (27.4%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Beasley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.9% (29,058 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beasley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.9%), Black (27.4%), Two or More Races (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Beasley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Beasley mean?
Derived from an English place name meaning "the clearing frequented by beasts or wild animals." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Beasley (15.20 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Beasley?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Beasley is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.