2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Benca
A surname derived from the Arabic word for "son of an architect."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Benca. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benca 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Benca in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benca, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benca
The surname Benca has its origins in the Slovenian and Croatian regions of Eastern Europe, dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "benka," which means "small stream" or "brook." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a small watercourse or a person who worked in an occupation related to streams or water sources.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benca can be found in the archives of the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where a document from 1532 mentions a certain Ivan Benca, a merchant and landowner. Another notable early reference is from the Croatian city of Rijeka, where a census record from 1598 lists a family headed by Petar Benca, a fisherman.
In the 17th century, the Benca name began to spread throughout the Slovenian and Croatian regions, with several individuals bearing this surname appearing in various historical records. For instance, in 1642, a man named Janez Benca is recorded as a member of the town council in the Slovenian town of Škofja Loka. Meanwhile, in the Croatian town of Varaždin, a document from 1678 mentions a certain Mihovil Benca, a skilled carpenter.
As time progressed, the Benca surname became more prominent, and several notable individuals emerged. One of the earliest was Josip Benca (1717-1784), a renowned Slovenian scholar and linguist who contributed significantly to the preservation and study of the Slovenian language. Another prominent figure was Matija Benca (1786-1858), a Croatian politician and writer who played a crucial role in the Illyrian movement, which aimed to unite the South Slavic peoples.
In the 19th century, the Benca name gained further recognition with the birth of Fran Benca (1825-1901), a Slovenian poet and playwright whose works helped shape the country's literary tradition. Another notable individual from this period was Ivan Benca (1846-1918), a Croatian engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the field of mechanical engineering.
As the 20th century dawned, the Benca surname continued to be represented by influential figures, such as Stjepan Benca (1901-1978), a Croatian artist and sculptor whose works are celebrated for their unique style and cultural significance. Additionally, Marija Benca (1920-2005), a Slovenian writer and activist, gained recognition for her efforts in promoting women's rights and social justice.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benca
Among Census respondents with the surname Benca, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Benca 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 Benca surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 97
- Two or more races11.4% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benca
Benca appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+13 bearers (+12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,217 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.9%) | Up 13,217 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 Benca 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 | #159,712 | #146,495 | 8.3% |
| Count | 101 | 114 | 12.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 27.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benca bearers went from 101 to 114 (+12.9% change). The surname moved up 13,217 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #146,495.
FAQ
Benca surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benca?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Benca. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Benca?
Benca ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Benca. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Benca.
Has Benca become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benca went from 101 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 13 (+12.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Benca?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benca, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benca in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benca appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Two or More Races (11.4%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Benca (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 Benca mean?
A surname derived from the Arabic word for "son of an architect." 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 Benca (0.04 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 people have the last name Benca?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Benca on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.