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

Benallie, 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 Benallie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benallie in America

Benallie is the 82317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benallie surname appeared 229 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 Benallie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benallie 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 Benallie

The surname BENALLIE has its origins in the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory spanning parts of the present-day states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The name is derived from the Navajo language and is believed to have emerged in the late 17th or early 18th century.

It is thought that BENALLIE is a combination of two Navajo words, "bena" meaning "river" or "stream," and "allied" or "allie," referring to a specific location or area. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone living near a particular river or stream within the Navajo lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BENALLIE surname can be found in the records of Spanish colonial authorities who interacted with the Navajo people in the late 18th century. These records often listed the names of prominent Navajo individuals, including those with the BENALLIE surname.

Notable individuals bearing the BENALLIE surname include Hosteen Benallie (1858-1933), a revered Navajo medicine man and spiritual leader, and Mary Benallie (1903-1982), a renowned Navajo weaver and artist whose works are preserved in various museums and collections.

Another prominent figure was Carl Benallie (1914-1988), a Navajo code talker who served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. His vital role in transmitting coded messages in the Navajo language contributed significantly to the Allied victory in the Pacific theater.

In more recent history, Peterson Benallie (1933-2005) was a respected Navajo educator and activist who advocated for the preservation of the Navajo language and culture. He played a crucial role in establishing the Navajo Community College, now known as Diné College, one of the first tribal colleges in the United States.

Additionally, the BENALLIE surname has been associated with several notable athletes, including Ambrose Benallie (born 1935), a former professional baseball player who played for the Chicago Cubs organization in the 1950s, and Nanette Benallie (born 1964), a former collegiate and professional basketball player.

While the BENALLIE surname is predominantly associated with the Navajo Nation, it has also been adopted by individuals from other Native American tribes and communities over time, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benallie

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

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

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

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