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

Beg, 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 Beg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beg in America

Beg is the 36099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beg surname appeared 621 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 Beg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beg 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 Beg

The surname "BEG" is believed to have originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) during the medieval period. It is derived from the Persian word "Beg," which means "lord" or "chieftain." This title was commonly used to address high-ranking officials and nobles in the Persian Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BEG can be found in the "Safvat al-Safa," a historical work written by the Persian historian Mahmud ibn Amir Vali in the 13th century. The book mentions several individuals with the title "Beg," suggesting that the surname was already in use at that time.

In the 14th century, the BEG surname made its way to Central Asia, particularly in the regions that are now part of modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. This was during the reign of the Timurid Empire, founded by the famous conqueror Timur (also known as Tamerlane). Many members of the Timurid nobility and military elite bore the surname BEG.

As the Persian and Turkic empires expanded their influence, the surname BEG gradually spread to other parts of the Middle East and South Asia. In the 16th century, the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a vast territory spanning modern-day India, Pakistan, and parts of Afghanistan, had several notable figures with the BEG surname.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname BEG was Bairam Khan Beg (c. 1501-1561), a powerful military commander and regent during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Another prominent figure was Mirza Aziz Koka Beg (c. 1542-1624), a high-ranking noble and governor during the Mughal period.

The surname BEG also found its way to the Ottoman Empire, where it was often associated with the ruling elite and military leaders. One notable example is Mustafa Pasha Beg (c. 1515-1580), a grand vizier (chief minister) under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

In the 18th century, the BEG surname appeared in parts of Eastern Europe, particularly in regions that were under Ottoman or Persian influence, such as parts of modern-day Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece. One example is Vasil Levski Beg (1837-1873), a Bulgarian revolutionary and national hero.

Throughout its history, the surname BEG has been associated with nobility, military leadership, and political power in various parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. While its origins can be traced back to Persia, the surname has evolved and spread across different regions and cultures, reflecting the complex historical interactions and migrations of people in these areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beg

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

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

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

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