2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Begner
A surname possibly derived from the German word "beg(e)neier" meaning "to encounter" or "to meet".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Begner. 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 Begner 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 Begner 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 Begner, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Begner
The surname Begner has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "begen," which means "to strive" or "to endeavor." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname given to someone who was hardworking or ambitious.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Begner can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1290. In this record, a certain "Conradus Begner" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.
Throughout the Middle Ages, variations of the name such as "Begnere," "Begnere," and "Begener" can be found in various German records and chronicles. However, it is important to note that the spelling of surnames was not standardized during this period, leading to numerous variations based on regional dialects and scribal interpretations.
One notable individual bearing the name Begner was Hans Begner, a German printer and publisher who lived in the 15th century. He is known for publishing works by renowned authors such as Johannes Reuchlin and Erasmus of Rotterdam.
In the 16th century, a man named Lorenz Begner gained recognition as a skilled goldsmith and metalworker in Nuremberg, Germany. His intricate creations were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy patrons of the time.
During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), a soldier named Johann Begner served in the Imperial Army under the command of Albrecht von Wallenstein. His bravery and valor in battle are documented in several military records from that period.
Another noteworthy figure was Caspar Begner, a German philosopher and theologian who lived in the 17th century. He authored several philosophical treatises and was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time.
The name Begner has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Begnerhof, a small village in Bavaria, and Begnershausen, a town located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the surname Begner who once lived or owned land in those areas.
While the surname Begner is not among the most common in Germany today, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in the country's cultural and linguistic heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Begner
Among Census respondents with the surname Begner, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Begner 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 Begner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino5.2% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Begner
Begner appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+16 bearers (+16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 15,947 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+16.0%) | Up 15,947 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 Begner 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 | #160,975 | #145,028 | 9.9% |
| Count | 100 | 116 | 16.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Begner bearers went from 100 to 116 (+16.0% change). The surname moved up 15,947 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #145,028.
FAQ
Begner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Begner?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Begner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Begner?
Begner 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 Begner. 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 Begner.
Has Begner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Begner went from 100 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 16 (+16.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Begner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Begner, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Begner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Begner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Hispanic (5.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Begner (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 Begner mean?
A surname possibly derived from the German word "beg(e)neier" meaning "to encounter" or "to meet". 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 Begner (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 have the last name Begner?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Begner on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.