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

Beeney, 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 Beeney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beeney in America

Beeney is the 56836th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beeney surname appeared 359 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 Beeney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beeney 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 Beeney

The surname Beeney has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bene," meaning "a request or petition," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who performed tasks or services upon request.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a Richard Bene, who may have been an ancestor of the Beeney family.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Beny, Benie, and Beney, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time. Some records from this period include Thomas Beny, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Borough of Colchester in 1444, and John Benie, whose name appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Essex in 1671.

The Beeney surname has also been associated with certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Beeny in Hertfordshire may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in that region.

Notable individuals with the surname Beeney include:

1. Sir Thomas Beeney (1635-1701), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the late 17th century.

2. William Beeney (1790-1855), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a successful merchant in Liverpool.

3. Elizabeth Beeney (1825-1892), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist in the United States, who founded the Beeney Institute for Young Ladies in New York City.

4. John Beeney (1860-1928), a British trade unionist and labor leader who played a significant role in the formation of the Transport and General Workers' Union in the early 20th century.

5. Robert Beeney (1905-1981), an American writer and journalist who covered World War II for various publications and later authored several books on military history.

While the Beeney surname may not be among the most common surnames in the world, it has left an indelible mark on various aspects of history, from politics and military service to education and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beeney

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

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

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

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