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

Benda, 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 Benda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benda in America

Benda is the 12164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benda surname appeared 2,562 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Benda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benda 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 Benda

The surname Benda has its origins in Central Europe, specifically in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is believed to have emerged as a locative name, derived from the word "benda," which referred to a type of cloth or fabric used for making clothing in the Middle Ages.

The name Benda can be traced back to the 14th century, and it is likely that some of the earliest bearers of this name were textile workers or merchants involved in the production or trade of the fabric known as "benda." The name may have also been adopted by individuals who lived in or near areas associated with the production of this cloth.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, records show the presence of individuals with the surname Benda in various regions of Bohemia and Moravia, which were part of the Kingdom of Bohemia at the time. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the census records of the town of Kutná Hora, where a certain Jan Benda is mentioned in 1492.

Notable individuals with the surname Benda include Frantisek Benda (1709-1786), a Czech composer and violinist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of Frederick the Great in Prussia. Another prominent figure was Vaclav Benda (1718-1774), a Czech painter and engraver known for his religious works and portraits.

In the 19th century, the name Benda gained recognition through the works of Bedřich Benda (1808-1888), a Czech writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Czech National Revival movement. His contemporaries included Jan Benda (1836-1888), a Czech architect and designer who contributed to the construction of several notable buildings in Prague.

The surname Benda also has a presence in other parts of Europe, such as Germany and Poland, likely due to migration and cultural exchange. One notable German bearer of the name was Hans Benda (1888-1972), a political scientist and historian who specialized in the study of totalitarianism and authoritarianism.

While the surname Benda has its roots in Central Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by immigrants and their descendants. However, its origins can be traced back to the textile industry and the specific fabric known as "benda" in the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benda

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

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

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

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