2000
#3,039
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,935
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.05
Uncommon Last name
Benavidez
A Spanish patronymic surname derived from the given name "Benito," meaning "blessed" or "benediction."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,170 Americans carry the last name Benavidez. That puts it at #2,838 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,189 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benavidez 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
14K
1 in 24,189
Census rank
#2,838
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,357 bearers of the surname Benavidez in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2838th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benavidez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benavidez
The surname Benavidez has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish phrase "bien avenido," which translates to "well-received" or "well-favored." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who were held in high regard within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Benavidez surname can be found in the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, where a reference to a certain "Gonzalo Benavidez" appears in a 13th-century manuscript detailing pilgrimages to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.
During the 15th century, the Benavidez name gained prominence in the region of Asturias, with records indicating the existence of a noble family bearing this surname. Notably, Francisco Benavidez (1464-1534), a prominent military leader and statesman, served as the Governor of the Principality of Asturias under the reign of King Ferdinand II of Aragon.
As the Spanish Empire expanded its reach across the Atlantic, the Benavidez name found its way to the Americas. In the 16th century, Pedro Benavidez (1510-1587) became one of the first settlers in what is now modern-day New Mexico, establishing a legacy that would continue through successive generations.
Another noteworthy figure associated with the Benavidez surname was Fray Bernardo Benavidez (1628-1696), a Franciscan friar who played a significant role in the establishment of missions and the spread of Christianity in New Spain (present-day Mexico and the southwestern United States).
The name Benavidez has also been linked to the town of Benavidez, located in the Spanish province of Zamora. This connection suggests that the surname may have originated from this specific location, with early bearers potentially hailing from this area.
Throughout history, the Benavidez name has been carried by influential individuals across various fields, including Diego Benavidez (1808-1892), a Mexican military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Nuevo León, and Gregorio Benavidez (1892-1967), a renowned Mexican bullfighter celebrated for his artistry and courage in the bullring.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benavidez
Among Census respondents with the surname Benavidez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Benavidez 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 Benavidez surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino88.8% · 10,970
- White7.9% · 974
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 190
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 115
- Two or more races0.6% · 68
- Black or African American0.3% · 40
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benavidez
Benavidez 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
#2,849
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,648
+1,713 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 4.29
Rank movement Up 190 places
2020
#2,838
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,357
-291 bearers (-2.3%)
Per 100,000 4.13
Rank movement Up 11 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,039 | 10,935 | 4.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,849 | 12,648 | 4.29 | +1,713 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 190 places |
| 2020 | #2,838 | 12,357 | 4.13 | -291 bearers (-2.3%) | Up 11 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 Benavidez 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 | #2,849 | #2,838 | 0.4% |
| Count | 12,648 | 12,357 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 4.29 | 4.13 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benavidez bearers went from 12,648 to 12,357 (-2.3% change). The surname moved up 11 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,849 to #2,838.
FAQ
Benavidez surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benavidez?
Name Census estimates that about 14,170 living Americans carry the surname Benavidez. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,189 residents.
How common is Benavidez?
Benavidez ranks #2,838 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,357 people with the surname Benavidez. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,170), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Benavidez.
Has Benavidez become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benavidez went from 12,648 recorded bearers to 12,357. That is a decrease of 291 (-2.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,849 to #2,838.
What does the Census say about the background of Benavidez?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benavidez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.8%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benavidez in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (10,970 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benavidez appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (88.8%), White (7.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). 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 Benavidez (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 Benavidez mean?
A Spanish patronymic surname derived from the given name "Benito," meaning "blessed" or "benediction." 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 Benavidez (4.13 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 many Americans have the surname Benavidez?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.