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

Belshe, 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 Belshe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belshe in America

Belshe is the 40261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belshe surname appeared 544 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 Belshe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belshe 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 Belshe

The surname Belshe has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "belle," meaning "bell," and was likely an occupational name for a bell-ringer or someone responsible for ringing church bells.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1273, when a John Belshe was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were a series of inquisitions or surveys conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable information about the population and landholdings at the time.

In the 14th century, the Belshe surname appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a William Belshe was recorded as a taxpayer. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records kept by the English government, offering insights into the distribution and wealth of individuals and families.

During the 15th century, the name Belshe was found in several historical documents, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Robert Belshe was mentioned in 1439. These manorial court records provide valuable information about the lives and activities of people living within the manor at that time.

One notable individual with the Belshe surname was Sir John Belshe (c. 1480-1547), who served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also known for his involvement in the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a process that saw the suppression of Catholic monasteries, priories, convents, and friaries throughout England.

Another prominent figure was Richard Belshe (1561-1636), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1618 to 1619. He was also the rector of Longstanton in Cambridgeshire and played a significant role in the religious and intellectual life of the time.

In the 17th century, the Belshe surname appeared in various parish records and court documents across England. For instance, a Thomas Belshe was recorded in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a survey conducted during the early stages of the English Civil War to assess the loyalty of the population.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Belshe surname, including William Belshe (1712-1783), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several churches and country houses in the Georgian style.

Throughout its history, the Belshe surname has been associated with various locations and place names across England, such as Belshford in Lincolnshire and Belshanger in Kent, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belshe

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

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

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

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