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

Began, 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 Began surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Began in America

Began is the 57914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Began surname appeared 351 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 Began.

We can also compare 2010 data for Began 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 Began

The surname "Began" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "beg" and "an," which together mean "dweller by the stream." This suggests that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Richard Began from Buckinghamshire. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which list a John Began from Oxfordshire.

In the 15th century, the name was sometimes spelled as "Beghan" or "Begehan," which further reinforces its connection to the Old English words "beg" and "an." During this time, the name was primarily concentrated in the southern counties of England, such as Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset.

One notable bearer of the surname "Began" was John Began, a wealthy merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having made significant contributions to the city's infrastructure, including the construction of a new bridge over the River Avon.

Another individual of note was William Began, a renowned clockmaker from London who lived in the 17th century. His intricate and highly accurate timepieces were sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants of the time.

In the 18th century, the name "Began" was also found in various parts of Scotland, particularly in the Highlands. This suggests that some members of the family may have migrated northwards from England during this period.

One of the earliest Scottish bearers of the name was Alexander Began, a prominent landowner from Inverness-shire who lived in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to establish themselves as influential figures in the local community for several generations.

By the 19th century, the surname "Began" had spread across various parts of the British Isles, as well as to other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to emigration and colonization efforts.

Throughout its history, the surname "Began" has been associated with a diverse range of individuals, from merchants and craftsmen to landowners and professionals, reflecting the rich tapestry of stories and experiences woven into this ancient name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Began

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

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

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

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