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

Beith, 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 Beith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beith in America

Beith is the 78316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beith surname appeared 244 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 Beith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beith 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 Beith

The surname BEITH has its origins in Scotland, where it emerged in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "beithe," meaning "birch tree," suggesting that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived near a prominent birch tree or a birch forest.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the BEITH surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls documenting those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his conquest of Scotland. In these rolls, a certain John de Beithe is mentioned, indicating that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.

Over the centuries, the BEITH surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Beith, Beithe, Beyth, and Bythe. These variations reflect the different dialects and regional pronunciations present in Scotland at the time.

The BEITH surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such individual was Sir John Beith (1545-1616), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1605. Another notable BEITH was Alexander Beith (1799-1891), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Ayr Academy in Ayrshire.

In the literary world, the BEITH surname is represented by Ian Beith (1901-1995), a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote extensively about life in the Scottish Highlands. His works include the novel "The Burning Valley" and the poetry collection "The Curlew's Cry."

Another notable BEITH was Sir Robert Beith (1857-1949), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice Clerk, one of the highest judicial positions in Scotland. He was known for his expertise in Scottish law and his commitment to upholding the principles of justice.

The BEITH surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Beith in North Ayrshire, which likely derives its name from the same Gaelic root as the surname. This further reinforces the connection between the BEITH name and the birch tree.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beith

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

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

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

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