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

Benavente, 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 Benavente surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benavente in America

Benavente is the 15409th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benavente surname appeared 1,901 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Benavente.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benavente 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 Benavente

The surname Benavente originates from Spain and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the name of the town of Benavente, located in the province of Zamora in the region of Castile and León. The town's name is believed to come from the Latin words "bene" meaning "well" and "venire" meaning "to come," suggesting a place with a good arrival or location.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Benavente surname can be found in a document from the 13th century, where a nobleman named Pedro Benavente was mentioned as a landowner in the region of Zamora. This suggests that the name was already well-established among the local nobility at that time.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Rodrigo Benavente was a distinguished scholar and theologian who served as a canon of the Cathedral of Toledo. His writings and teachings had a significant influence on the intellectual and religious discourse of the era.

During the 15th century, the Benavente family gained further prominence when Juan de Benavente, a skilled military commander, played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and land grants from the Spanish monarchs.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Alonso de Benavente emerged as a renowned playwright and poet. His works, which often satirized the social and political issues of his time, were widely celebrated and contributed to the golden age of Spanish literature.

Another famous bearer of the Benavente surname was Jacinto Benavente y Martínez, a celebrated Spanish dramatist and Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 1922. He was born in 1866 and is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of modern Spanish theater.

The Benavente surname has also been associated with various place names and older spellings throughout its history. For example, the town of Benavente was formerly known as Beneventum or Benaventum, reflecting its Latin roots. Additionally, variations such as Benevent, Benavent, and Benaventus have been documented in historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benavente

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

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

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

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