2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Beenen
A surname originating from Dutch meaning "legs" or "calves."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Beenen. 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 Beenen 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 Beenen 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 Beenen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beenen
The surname Beenen is of Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in the Netherlands. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name Beenen or Beene, which are small villages located in the eastern part of the country.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the archives of the town of Deventer, dated 1392, which mentions a certain Jan van Beenen. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century.
The name Beenen is thought to be derived from the Old Dutch word "ben," meaning "leg" or "shin." This could indicate that the name may have originally referred to a physical characteristic or occupation related to legs or walking. However, the exact origin and meaning remain uncertain.
In the 16th century, records show the name Beenen appearing in various spellings, such as Beene, Bene, and Beenen. This was a common occurrence during that time, as spelling conventions were not yet standardized.
One notable figure bearing the Beenen name was Pieter Beenen, a Dutch painter who lived from 1592 to 1638. His works, primarily portraits and religious scenes, can be found in several museums across the Netherlands.
Another individual of note was Gerrit Beenen, born in 1770, who served as a magistrate in the city of Rotterdam during the late 18th century. He played a significant role in the administration of justice in the region.
In the 19th century, the Beenen family produced several individuals who made their mark in various fields. Willem Beenen (1801-1879) was a prominent architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Amsterdam.
Johannes Beenen (1846-1924) was a respected linguist and author, known for his contributions to the study of Germanic languages and his translations of classical literary works.
Lastly, Hendrik Beenen (1877-1953) was a pioneering aviator who played a crucial role in the development of aviation in the Netherlands. He established the country's first flying school and was instrumental in promoting the use of aircraft for commercial purposes.
While the Beenen surname may not be among the most common in the Netherlands today, its rich history and the accomplishments of those who bore it have left an indelible mark on Dutch culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beenen
Among Census respondents with the surname Beenen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Beenen 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 Beenen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 103
- Two or more races6.0% · 7
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beenen
Beenen 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+14 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,187 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 887 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 5,187 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 887 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 Beenen 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 | #144,141 | #145,028 | -0.6% |
| Count | 115 | 116 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beenen bearers went from 115 to 116 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 887 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #145,028.
FAQ
Beenen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beenen?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Beenen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Beenen?
Beenen 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 Beenen. 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 Beenen.
Has Beenen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beenen went from 115 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Beenen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beenen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Beenen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beenen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Two or More Races (6.0%), Black (1.7%). 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 Beenen (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 Beenen mean?
A surname originating from Dutch meaning "legs" or "calves." 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 Beenen (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 Beenen?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Beenen, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.