2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Becho
A surname originating in Spain, derived from the word 'beco' meaning a small street or alley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Becho. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Becho 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.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Becho in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Becho, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.7%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and Black (6.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Becho
The surname BECHO is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the 14th century in the region of Aragon. It is believed to have evolved from the Old Spanish word "bech," which means "beech tree." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a beech grove or worked with beech wood.
In the early records of Aragon, the name appears with various spellings, including Becho, Beco, and Bechco. These variations were common in the medieval period due to the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in a land registry from the town of Huesca, dated 1378, which mentions a certain Pedro Becho as a landowner.
The name BECHO gained wider recognition in the 15th century, when Juan Becho (1420-1492) served as a prominent military commander during the Reconquista, the campaign to drive the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula. His bravery and leadership earned him the respect of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who granted him lands and titles.
In the 16th century, the BECHO family established itself in the town of Calatayud, where they were involved in the local government and trade. One notable member was Juana Becho (1532-1604), a wealthy merchant known for her philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a school for underprivileged children.
The name BECHO also found its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Diego Becho (1568-1642), a Spanish soldier who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico. He later settled in the region of Puebla and established a successful cattle ranching operation.
In the 18th century, the BECHO family produced several notable figures in the arts and sciences. Antonio Becho (1712-1784) was a renowned painter whose works adorned many churches and palaces in Madrid. His contemporary, María Becho (1721-1798), was a celebrated botanist who made significant contributions to the study of medicinal plants in the Spanish colonies.
As the BECHO name spread across Spain and its territories, it underwent further variations in spelling, with forms like Beco, Vecho, and Bejó appearing in different regions. However, the core meaning and origin remained rooted in the humble beech tree, a testament to the rich history and resilience of this Spanish surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Becho
Among Census respondents with the surname Becho, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.7%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and Black (6.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Becho 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 Becho surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino76.7% · 89
- White17.2% · 20
- Black or African American6.0% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Becho
Becho appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,879 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,879 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 Becho 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 | #143,149 | #145,028 | -1.3% |
| Count | 116 | 116 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Becho bearers went from 116 to 116 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,879 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #145,028.
FAQ
Becho surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Becho?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Becho. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Becho?
Becho ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Becho. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Becho.
Has Becho become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Becho went from 116 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Becho?
Among Census respondents with the surname Becho, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.7%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and Black (6.0%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Becho in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.7% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Becho appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (76.7%), White (17.2%), Black (6.0%). 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 Becho (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 Becho mean?
A surname originating in Spain, derived from the word 'beco' meaning a small street or alley. 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 Becho (0.04 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 many people are called Becho?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Becho at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.