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

Beljan, 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 Beljan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beljan in America

Beljan is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beljan surname appeared 101 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 Beljan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beljan 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 Beljan

The surname Beljan is of Croatian origin, with its roots traced back to the region of Dalmatia in the 14th century. It is derived from the Slavic word "beli," meaning "white," and is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with fair hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Beljan surname can be found in a 1389 census document from the town of Zadar, where a man named Ivan Beljan is listed as a merchant. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the region during the late Middle Ages.

The Beljan surname also appears in various historical records from the Croatian coastline and islands, suggesting that the name was particularly prominent in these areas. For instance, a 1457 land deed from the island of Hvar mentions a Petar Beljan, who was a landowner and farmer.

In the 16th century, the Beljan surname can be found in the archives of the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), where several members of the Beljan family held prominent positions within the city's government and mercantile circles. One notable figure was Nikola Beljan, a wealthy merchant and diplomat who lived from 1522 to 1598.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Beljan surname spread beyond the coastal regions of Croatia, with records indicating families bearing this name in various parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A notable figure from this period was Matija Beljan (1668-1742), a Franciscan friar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Beljan surname gained further recognition with the birth of Ivan Beljan (1819-1892), a renowned Croatian painter and one of the pioneers of the Realist movement in the region. His works, which often depicted scenes of everyday life in Dalmatia, are celebrated as important cultural treasures.

Other notable individuals with the Beljan surname include Ante Beljan (1901-1978), a Croatian composer and conductor who made significant contributions to the country's classical music scene, and Josip Beljan (1892-1976), a distinguished linguist and lexicographer who played a pivotal role in the development of the Croatian language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beljan

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

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

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

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