2000
#9,097
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,302
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.22
Rare Last name
Belknap
From the Old English elements "belle" meaning bell and "cnæpp" meaning top of a hill, likely referring to a bell-shaped hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,595 Americans carry the last name Belknap. That puts it at #9,841 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Belknap 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
3.6K
1 in 95,342
Census rank
#9,841
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,135 bearers of the surname Belknap in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9841st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Belknap, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Belknap
The surname Belknap originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bell" meaning bell and "cnapp" meaning hillock or small hill, indicating that the name referred to a person who lived near a bell-topped hill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a place called "Belecamp" in Berkshire, which is likely the origin of the Belknap surname.
In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various forms, including Belnap, Belnapp, and Belleknappe, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period. One notable person with this surname was Sir Robert Belknap, who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1370 to 1388.
During the 14th century, the Belknap family held lands in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. In the latter county, a place called Belknap (or Belknappe) existed, which was likely named after the family.
In the 15th century, Sir Henry Belknap (1420-1488) was a prominent figure who served as a member of parliament and held various positions in the court of Henry VI and Edward IV. He was also a significant landowner in Kent and Essex.
Another notable person with the Belknap surname was Sir Robert Belknap (1585-1667), who was a member of the Long Parliament and a supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War. He was also a member of the Council of State under Oliver Cromwell.
Reverend Jeremy Belknap (1744-1798) was an American historian and minister, known for his work "History of New Hampshire," which was one of the earliest comprehensive histories of a state in the United States. He was also a founding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Throughout history, the Belknap surname has been prominent in various fields, including law, politics, and academia, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Belknap
Among Census respondents with the surname Belknap, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Belknap 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 Belknap surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 2,890
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 102
- Two or more races3.0% · 94
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 21
- Black or African American0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Belknap
Belknap 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
#9,890
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,270
-32 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.11
Rank movement Down 793 places
2020
#9,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,135
-135 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 49 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,097 | 3,302 | 1.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,890 | 3,270 | 1.11 | -32 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 793 places |
| 2020 | #9,841 | 3,135 | 1.05 | -135 bearers (-4.1%) | Up 49 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 Belknap 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 | #9,890 | #9,841 | 0.5% |
| Count | 3,270 | 3,135 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.11 | 1.05 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Belknap bearers went from 3,270 to 3,135 (-4.1% change). The surname moved up 49 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,890 to #9,841.
FAQ
Belknap surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Belknap?
Name Census estimates that about 3,595 living Americans carry the surname Belknap. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,342 residents.
How common is Belknap?
Belknap ranks #9,841 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 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 3,135 people with the surname Belknap. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,595), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 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 Belknap.
Has Belknap become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Belknap went from 3,270 recorded bearers to 3,135. That is a decrease of 135 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,890 to #9,841.
What does the Census say about the background of Belknap?
Among Census respondents with the surname Belknap, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Belknap in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (2,890 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Belknap appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Belknap (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 Belknap mean?
From the Old English elements "belle" meaning bell and "cnæpp" meaning top of a hill, likely referring to a bell-shaped hill. 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 Belknap (1.05 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 common is the surname Belknap?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Belknap, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.