Becknel last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Becknel

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

Becknel, 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 Becknel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Becknel in America

Becknel is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Becknel surname appeared 102 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 Becknel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Becknel 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 158432 132259 18.01%
Count 102 118 -14.55%
Proportion per 100k 0.03 0.04 -28.57%

The history of the last name Becknel

The surname Becknel is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has undergone significant changes over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, dated 1327, which mentions a Robert de Beckenhull. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "becc" or "bece," meaning a stream or brook, and "hyll" or "hull," meaning a hill.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various historical records across different regions of England, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire (1273), the Feet of Fines for Essex (1334), and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield (1379).

Notable individuals bearing the Becknel surname include:

  1. John Becknel (c. 1540-1615), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who served as a member of the local gentry.

  2. Thomas Becknel (1675-1742), a prominent farmer and landowner from Wiltshire, known for his contribution to the agricultural practices of the region.

  3. Elizabeth Becknel (1720-1802), a renowned botanist and herbalist from Oxfordshire, who authored several influential works on the medicinal properties of plants.

  4. William Becknel (1785-1859), a successful industrialist from Lancashire, who played a significant role in the development of textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.

  5. Sarah Becknel (1825-1901), a philanthropist and social reformer from Northumberland, known for her efforts in establishing schools and advocating for women's rights.

While the Becknel surname may have originated from a specific location, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, with its bearers contributing to various fields and endeavors throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Becknel

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

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 Becknel was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 56.86% 58
Non-Hispanic Black Only 35.29% 36
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Becknel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 56.86% 54.24% 4.72%
Black 35.29% 37.29% -5.51%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 4.24% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Becknel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/becknel-surname-popularity/.

"Becknel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/becknel-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Becknel last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/becknel-surname-popularity/.

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