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

Bence, 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 Bence surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bence in America

Bence is the 18867th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bence surname appeared 1,449 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 Bence.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bence 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 Bence

The surname Bence has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name Beonca, which is a contracted form of the name Beornwine, meaning "brave friend" or "warrior friend." This name was commonly used among the Anglo-Saxons and can be found in various ancient records.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bence can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Bence. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, contains a comprehensive record of landowners and their estates in England at the time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Bence was predominantly found in the counties of Kent and Sussex in southeast England. Some variations in spelling, such as Bens and Benche, were also observed in historical documents from that era.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Bence was Richard Bence, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Kent. Historical records from 1273 mention his involvement in a legal dispute over property rights.

Another individual of significance was John Bence, who lived in the 14th century and served as a bailiff (a local official) in the town of Lewes, Sussex, in 1348. His name appears in various municipal records from that time.

Moving into the 16th century, the name Bence can be found in connection with certain place names. For instance, there was a village called Benceswick (or Benswick) in Kent, which derived its name from the surname. This village is mentioned in various historical documents from the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, a notable figure was Thomas Bence, born in 1601 in Kent. He was a respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects. His works, such as "A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Holy and Ever Blessed Trinity" (1670), were widely read and influential during his time.

Another prominent individual was Sir Henry Bence, who lived from 1726 to 1794 and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. He was a prominent landowner and played an active role in local politics.

Lastly, in the 19th century, a notable figure was James Berry Bence, born in 1801 in Kent. He was a chemist and physician who made significant contributions to the field of medical science. His research on uric acid and its role in gout and other diseases was highly regarded during his lifetime.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bence

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

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

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

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