Benedek
A Hungarian surname meaning "blessed" or "blessed one".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 446 Americans carry the last name Benedek. That puts it at #53,667 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 768,507 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benedek surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
446
1 in 768,507
Census rank
#53,667
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
385
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 385 bearers of the surname Benedek in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 53667th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benedek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benedek
The surname BENEDEK is of Hungarian origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a patronymic name derived from the Hungarian given name Benedek, which itself is a version of the Latin name Benedictus, meaning "blessed."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BENEDEK can be found in the Regestrum Varadiense, a 14th-century manuscript containing legal records from the Diocese of Várad (now Oradea, Romania). In this document, a certain Benedek de Zeek is mentioned in an entry dated 1329.
During the 15th century, the name BENEDEK appeared in various Hungarian historical records, including the Zsigmondkori Oklevéltár (Sigismund's Diplomacy), a collection of charters and documents from the reign of King Sigismund of Hungary (1387-1437). One notable bearer of the name during this period was Benedek Himfi (c. 1400-1470), a Hungarian nobleman and military commander who fought against the Ottoman Turks.
In the 16th century, the BENEDEK name gained further prominence with the rise of the Benedek family of Arad, a influential noble clan in the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the most famous members of this family was Benedek Mindszenti (1508-1568), a Hungarian prelate who served as the Bishop of Várad and later as the Archbishop of Esztergom.
Another notable bearer of the BENEDEK surname was János Benedek (1765-1818), a Hungarian poet and writer who was a member of the Benedictine order. His works, which included religious poetry and translations of classical texts, were influential in the development of Hungarian literature during the Age of Enlightenment.
In the 19th century, the BENEDEK name was associated with several prominent figures in the fields of science and education. One such individual was Elek Benedek (1859-1929), a Hungarian geologist and paleontologist who made significant contributions to the study of fossil invertebrates.
The surname BENEDEK has also been borne by notable individuals in more recent times, such as the Hungarian writer and essayist István Benedek (1915-1996), and the Romanian-Hungarian poet and translator András Ferenc Benedek (1946-2012).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benedek
Among Census respondents with the surname Benedek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Benedek bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Benedek surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Benedek surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,667 | #53,667 | 0.0% |
| Count | 385 | 385 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Benedek bearers went from 385 to 385 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #53,667 to #53,667.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Benedek
FAQ
Benedek surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Benedek?
The surname Benedek holds position #53,667 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 446 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Benedek surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benedek, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.