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

Benchley, 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 Benchley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benchley in America

Benchley is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benchley surname appeared 182 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 Benchley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benchley 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 Benchley

The surname Benchley has its origins in the county of Lancashire, England, and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from a place name, likely a town or village, though the exact location is uncertain. The name may have originated from the Old English words "benc" and "leah," which together could mean "a meadow with a bench" or "a clearing with a bench."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1285, where a Richard de Bencheley is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time. Similar spellings found in historical records include Benchelegh, Bencheley, and Bencley.

The Benchley name is also present in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings conducted by William the Conqueror. This record indicates that individuals with the surname Benchley or a variation thereof held properties in various parts of Lancashire and neighboring counties.

Notable individuals with the surname Benchley include Robert Benchley (1889-1945), an American humorist, actor, and writer who was a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. His wit and humor were highly acclaimed, and he contributed to numerous publications such as Life, The New Yorker, and Vanity Fair.

Another prominent figure was Peter Benchley (1940-2006), an American author best known for his novel "Jaws," which was later adapted into the iconic Steven Spielberg film of the same name. The book's success propelled Benchley to fame as a writer and helped popularize the literary genre of shark stories.

In the realm of art, the English painter Robert Benchley (1863-1926) gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

William Benchley (1805-1889) was a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Stoke-upon-Trent from 1852 to 1857. He was also appointed as a Queen's Counsel, a prestigious legal designation, in 1856.

Lastly, Thomas Benchley (1726-1808) was an English engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the textile industry. He patented several improvements to spinning machines and was instrumental in the development of the cotton industry in Lancashire during the Industrial Revolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benchley

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

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

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

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