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

Bele, 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 Bele surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bele in America

Bele is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bele surname appeared 122 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 Bele.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bele 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 Bele

The surname "BELE" originates from England and dates back to the medieval period, specifically the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bela," which means "beautiful" or "fair." The name was likely initially given as a nickname to someone with a handsome or attractive appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "BELE" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mention a person named "Radulfus Bele." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname "BELE" appeared in various records across different regions of England. For instance, the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1227 mention a "Willelmus Bele," while the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1262 include a "Robertus Bele."

It is worth noting that the surname "BELE" may have been influenced by the Old French word "bel," which also means "beautiful" or "fair." This is due to the influence of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, which introduced many French words and names into the English language.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "BELE" was John Bele, a prominent English clergyman who lived in the 14th century. He served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1352 to 1367.

Another notable figure with the surname "BELE" was William Bele, a English landowner and knight who lived in the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and owned estates in Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

In the 16th century, the surname "BELE" was sometimes spelled as "BELL" or "BELLE," reflecting the interchangeable nature of these spellings during that time. One example is Thomas Belle, an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the 1540s.

The surname "BELE" also has connections to place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Beleigh in Essex, which may have derived its name from the Old English word "bela" or from individuals bearing the surname "BELE" who resided there.

It is important to note that while the surname "BELE" has a rich historical background, it has become less common over time, and some of the individuals mentioned above may have been the last to bear this surname in their respective eras.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bele

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

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

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

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