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

Beat, 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 Beat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beat in America

Beat is the 65066th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beat surname appeared 305 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Beat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beat 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 Beat

The surname BEAT originated in Scotland, first appearing in historical records around the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bæt," meaning a boat or small vessel. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with those who worked on or near the water, such as fishermen or boatmen.

One of the earliest known references to the BEAT surname can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1498, where a person named John Bate is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Bate," was common in the early days of the surname's usage.

In the 16th century, the BEAT name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, where a William Bett was mentioned in 1548. The spelling "Bett" was another common variation during this time period.

The BEAT surname has been present in several notable historical figures throughout the centuries. One such individual was John Beat (1589-1661), a Scottish clergyman and Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1639 to 1661. Another was Robert Beat (1602-1661), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 17th century, the BEAT surname spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing the name appearing in England and Ireland. One notable figure from this era was William Beat (1625-1699), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithms.

As the centuries progressed, the BEAT surname continued to be found across various regions, with several individuals achieving prominence. For example, James Beat (1785-1853) was a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, from 1835 to 1837.

Another notable individual with the BEAT surname was John Loughborough Pearson (1817-1897), an English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Pearson's middle name, Loughborough, is believed to be derived from the BEAT surname, as his mother's maiden name was Beat.

While the BEAT surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beat

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

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

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

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