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

Bee, 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 Bee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bee in America

Bee is the 7434th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bee surname appeared 4,480 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bee 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 Bee

The surname "BEE" is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 12th century. It is thought to be an occupational surname, referring to a beekeeper or someone involved in the production of honey. The name is derived from the Old English word "beo" or "beo-cere," meaning "bee" or "bee-keeper," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221, where a person named Adam Bee is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, referring to a person named Willelmus Bee.

In the 14th century, the surname BEE can be found in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a person named Johannes Bee is listed. Additionally, in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, a person named Johannes Bee is recorded.

During the 16th century, the surname BEE gained more prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Francis Bee (1515-1578), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex in 1555.

In the 17th century, the surname BEE continued to be found in various records. For instance, in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1665, a person named John Bee is listed. Additionally, in the Protestation Returns of Buckinghamshire in 1642, a person named William Bee is recorded.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname BEE in history was Bernard Bee (1674-1738), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Bangor from 1718 until his death in 1738.

Another notable person with the surname BEE was Sir Henry Bee (1794-1876), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral.

In the 19th century, the surname BEE was also associated with notable individuals, such as Thomas Bee (1806-1876), an American planter and politician who served as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Overall, the surname "BEE" has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely an occupational surname related to beekeeping and honey production.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bee

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

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

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

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