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

Begg, 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 Begg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Begg in America

Begg is the 24483rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Begg surname appeared 1,022 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 Begg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Begg 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 Begg

The surname BEGG has its origins in Scotland, where it emerged in the late 12th century as a variant of the Old English name BAGGA. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "baggi," meaning "bundle" or "pack," suggesting that the original bearer may have been someone who transported goods or worked as a carrier.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEGG can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a person named Thomas Begg is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Scotland by the 13th century.

The BEGG surname is also closely associated with the town of Ayr, located in the southwest of Scotland. Historical records from the 16th century indicate that several families bearing the name BEGG resided in and around the Ayr area, and the name may have originated as a reference to someone from that particular region.

In the 17th century, the BEGG surname appears in various legal documents and parish records across Scotland. One notable individual was James Begg, a Scottish minister and theologian who lived from 1808 to 1888. He was a prominent figure in the Free Church of Scotland and played a significant role in the ecclesiastical debates of his time.

Another notable bearer of the BEGG surname was John Begg, a Scottish author and journalist who lived from 1834 to 1912. He wrote several books on Scottish history and culture, including "The Scots Worthies" and "The Covenanters of the Merse."

In the 19th century, the BEGG surname gained further prominence with the birth of Robert Begg (1840-1920), a Scottish industrialist and entrepreneur. He founded the Robert Begg & Co. Ltd, a successful textile manufacturing company based in Paisley, Scotland.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the BEGG surname was Alistair Begg, a Scottish-born Christian minister and author who was born in 1959. He is widely known for his work as a pastor and for his contributions to biblical teaching and preaching.

Throughout its history, the BEGG surname has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, with various branches of the family spreading across the country and beyond. While the name may have evolved from its original Old Norse roots, its Scottish heritage remains a defining characteristic of this ancient surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Begg

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

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

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

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