Find out how popular the last name Bena is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bena.
A surname derived from the Italian word "bene," meaning "good" or "blessed."
Bena, 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 Bena surname is from the 2010 census data.
Bena is the 38850th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Bena surname appeared 568 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 Bena.
We can also compare 2010 data for Bena 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 38850 | 36276 | 6.85% |
| Count | 568 | 583 | -2.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.22 | -14.63% |
The surname BENA has its origins in Italy, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bene," meaning "good" or "well." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname, referring to a person with positive attributes or good character.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BENA can be found in the records of the city of Venice, where a family bearing this name resided during the Renaissance period. The BENA family was known for their involvement in the textile trade, and some members were respected merchants in the city.
In the 17th century, the name BENA appeared in several historical documents in the region of Tuscany. One notable individual was Girolamo BENA (1590-1668), a Florentine scholar and writer who authored several works on philosophy and literature. His contributions to the intellectual circles of his time earned him recognition and respect among his contemporaries.
During the 18th century, the BENA surname spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. One prominent figure from this era was Antonio BENA (1725-1802), a renowned architect from Bologna who designed several churches and palaces that still stand today as testimonies to his architectural genius.
In the 19th century, the BENA name gained further prominence with the birth of Domenico BENA (1815-1892), a acclaimed painter from Milan. His works, which often depicted scenes from everyday life and landscapes, were highly regarded and can be found in various art galleries and museums across Italy.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname BENA was Giuseppe BENA (1872-1944), a renowned Italian physicist and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the fields of theoretical physics and mathematics, including important work on electromagnetism and the theory of relativity.
While the surname BENA has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other countries through migration and intermarriage. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above highlight the rich heritage and legacy associated with this surname in its country of origin.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bena.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bena was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 69.37% | 394 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 2.46% | 14 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 1.41% | 8 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.06% | 6 |
| Hispanic Origin | 25.70% | 146 |
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 Bena has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 69.37% | 78.04% | -11.76% |
| Black | 2.46% | 2.40% | 2.47% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.41% | (S)% | (S)% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 1.06% | 2.06% | -64.10% |
| Hispanic | 25.70% | 15.09% | 52.02% |
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 Bena was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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