2000
#20,382
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,212
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.45
Rare Last name
Belen
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Belén, meaning "Bethlehem."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,078 Americans carry the last name Belen. That puts it at #15,541 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,944 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Belen 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
2.1K
1 in 164,944
Census rank
#15,541
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,812 bearers of the surname Belen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15541st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Belen, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 42.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.1%) and White (13.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Belen
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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Belen
Among Census respondents with the surname Belen, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 42.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.1%) and White (13.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Belen 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 Belen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino42.7% · 773
- Asian and Pacific Islander37.1% · 673
- White13.5% · 244
- Two or more races4.0% · 72
- Black or African American1.8% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Belen
Belen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#19,646
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,372
+160 bearers (+13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.47
Rank movement Up 736 places
2020
#15,541
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,812
+440 bearers (+32.1%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 4,105 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,382 | 1,212 | 0.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,646 | 1,372 | 0.47 | +160 bearers (+13.2%) | Up 736 places |
| 2020 | #15,541 | 1,812 | 0.61 | +440 bearers (+32.1%) | Up 4,105 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 Belen 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 | #19,646 | #15,541 | 20.9% |
| Count | 1,372 | 1,812 | 32.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.47 | 0.61 | 29.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Belen bearers went from 1,372 to 1,812 (+32.1% change). The surname moved up 4,105 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,646 to #15,541.
FAQ
Belen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Belen?
Name Census estimates that about 2,078 living Americans carry the surname Belen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,944 residents.
How common is Belen?
Belen ranks #15,541 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,812 people with the surname Belen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,078), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Belen.
Has Belen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Belen went from 1,372 recorded bearers to 1,812. That is an increase of 440 (+32.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,646 to #15,541.
What does the Census say about the background of Belen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Belen, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 42.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.1%) and White (13.5%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Belen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 42.7% (773 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Belen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (42.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (37.1%), White (13.5%). 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 Belen (2000, 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 Belen mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Belén, meaning "Bethlehem." 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 Belen (0.61 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 surname Belen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.