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

Benck, 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 Benck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benck in America

Benck is the 68122nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benck surname appeared 289 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 Benck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benck 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 Benck

The surname Benck has its origins in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "benc," which referred to a bench or a long seat. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with an occupation or a location related to benches or seating areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benck can be found in the 13th century in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the German state of Bavaria. The name appears in a document from the year 1289, which mentions a certain "Heinrich Benck" as a resident of the town.

During the 14th century, the Benck surname gained prominence in the region of Saxony, particularly in the city of Leipzig. Historical records from this period indicate the existence of a prominent family bearing the name, who were involved in the local guild system and held influential positions within the city's administration.

In the 15th century, the Benck surname appeared in various manuscripts and chronicles from the region of Franconia, which is located in the present-day German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. One notable example is the mention of a "Johannes Benck" in a chronicle from the city of Nuremberg, dated around 1450.

As the years progressed, the Benck surname spread across different regions of Germany, with notable individuals emerging throughout history. One such figure was Martin Benck (1542-1610), a German theologian and scholar who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and contributed to the development of Lutheran theology.

Another notable bearer of the Benck surname was Johann Albrecht Benck (1668-1727), a German physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life and authored several works on medicinal plants.

In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Johann Baptist Benck (1753-1838), a German composer and organist who served as the court musician for the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the accomplishments of Johann Christoph Benck (1801-1863), a German architect and urban planner who played a pivotal role in the development of several major cities, including Frankfurt and Mainz.

While the Benck surname has its roots firmly planted in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by descendants of those who bore the name throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benck

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

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

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

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