2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bellers
Derived from an Old English word meaning "one who rings bells", referring to a bellringer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Bellers. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bellers 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Bellers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bellers, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bellers
The surname Bellers is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bellan," meaning "to bellow" or "to roar." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname for someone with a loud voice or a loud manner of speaking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bellers surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like document compiled in 1273. Here, a person named Robert Beller is mentioned, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that time period.
The Bellers name is also linked to several place names in England, such as Bellerby in North Yorkshire and Bellersby in Lincolnshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname in their respective areas.
In the 16th century, the Bellers surname gained prominence with the birth of John Bellers (1554-1630), an English agriculturist and writer who advocated for the improvement of farming methods and the welfare of the poor. His works, such as "Propositions for the Employment of the Poor," were influential in shaping social policies of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the Bellers surname was Francis Bellers (1638-1707), a Quaker philanthropist and economist. He was a proponent of educational reform and made significant contributions to the development of early modern economic thought.
In the 18th century, the Bellers family produced several prominent members, including John Bellers (1714-1784), a renowned Quaker minister and writer who authored works on religious and social topics. His cousin, Fettiplace Bellers (1720-1799), was a notable philanthropist and supporter of education for the underprivileged.
Moving into the 19th century, William Bellers (1801-1876) was a British politician and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the coal industry in South Yorkshire.
Throughout its history, the Bellers surname has been associated with various occupations, from agriculture and social reform to industry and politics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bellers
Among Census respondents with the surname Bellers, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bellers 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 Bellers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bellers
Bellers 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-9 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 19,418 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+16 bearers (+15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 19,418 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.5%) | Up 14,446 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 Bellers 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 | #157,234 | #142,788 | 9.2% |
| Count | 103 | 119 | 15.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 32.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bellers bearers went from 103 to 119 (+15.5% change). The surname moved up 14,446 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #142,788.
FAQ
Bellers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bellers?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Bellers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Bellers?
Bellers ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Bellers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bellers.
Has Bellers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bellers went from 103 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 16 (+15.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Bellers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bellers, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Bellers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bellers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Bellers (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 Bellers mean?
Derived from an Old English word meaning "one who rings bells", referring to a bellringer. 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 Bellers (0.04 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 Bellers?
See how many people have the surname Bellers on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.