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

Bene, 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 Bene surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bene in America

Bene is the 30390th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bene surname appeared 769 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 Bene.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bene 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 Bene

The surname BENE originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "bene," meaning "well" or "good." The name was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered a good or virtuous person.

The earliest recorded instances of the BENE surname can be found in historical documents from various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern areas around Venice and Genoa. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Guido BENE, a merchant from Venice mentioned in records from the 13th century, and Francesca BENE, a noblewoman from Genoa who lived in the 14th century.

During the Renaissance period, the BENE surname gained prominence in Italy with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Giovanni Battista BENE (1542-1617), a renowned poet and playwright from Padua. Another was Giulio BENE (1588-1668), a Venetian philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of optics.

In the 17th century, the BENE surname spread beyond Italy as Italian merchants and explorers traveled to other parts of Europe and the Americas. Bartolomeo BENE (1602-1673), a Genoese explorer, is recorded as one of the earliest Italians to settle in what is now Argentina.

Across the centuries, the BENE surname has been spelled in various ways, including BENE, BENI, BENNI, and BENETTI. It has also been associated with certain place names, such as the town of Bene Vagienna in the Piedmont region of Italy, which may have influenced the surname's development.

Among the notable figures with the BENE surname throughout history are:

1. Pietro BENE (1675-1742), an Italian architect and sculptor known for his work on several churches and palaces in Rome.
2. Ferdinando BENE (1801-1879), an Italian politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
3. Giacomo BENE (1835-1914), an Italian painter and artist renowned for his landscape paintings of the Italian countryside.
4. Edoardo BENE (1875-1954), an Italian opera singer and tenor who performed at prestigious venues such as La Scala in Milan.
5. Giulia BENE (1901-1988), an Italian physicist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of atomic physics.

Overall, the surname BENE has a rich history rooted in Italy, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages and its bearers leaving their mark across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bene

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

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

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

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