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

Belén, 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 Belén surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belén in America

Belén is the 19646th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belén surname appeared 1,372 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 Belén.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belén 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 Belén

The surname Belen has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "belén," which means "Bethlehem" or "nativity scene." The name likely originated as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near or was associated with a place called Belén.

In the 13th century, there are records of individuals bearing the surname Belen in various regions of Spain, particularly in Andalusia and Castile. Some early variations of the name include Belén, Belen, and Velén. These variations were influenced by regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Belen is found in a land registry document from the city of Seville, dated 1287. This document mentions a certain Pedro Belen as a landowner in the region.

During the 15th century, the surname Belen gained prominence in the Kingdom of Aragon, where a family of notable individuals bearing this name played a significant role in local politics and administration. Juan Belen (1425-1498) was a prominent magistrate and diplomat who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon.

In the 16th century, the surname Belen spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Hernán Belen (1510-1582), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Peru under Francisco Pizarro.

As the centuries passed, the surname Belen continued to be present in various regions of Spain and its territories. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Miguel Belen (1675-1743), a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits.
2. Juana Belen (1720-1795), a renowned poet and playwright from Granada, recognized for her contributions to Spanish literature.
3. Tomás Belen (1810-1876), a Spanish military officer who fought in the Carlist Wars and rose to the rank of general.
4. Emilio Belen (1854-1924), a Spanish architect and urban planner responsible for the design of several notable buildings in Madrid.
5. Carmen Belen (1898-1975), a Spanish actress and singer who achieved success in the early years of Spanish cinema.

While the surname Belen has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as a toponymic surname associated with the concept of Bethlehem or nativity scenes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belén

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!