2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Benekin
A surname originating from medieval English, meaning "a good kin" or "good kinsman".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Benekin. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benekin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Benekin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benekin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benekin
The surname BENEKIN is of English origin, emerging in the late 13th century in Yorkshire and Northumberland regions. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ben" meaning "bean" and "kin" referring to a small territorial unit, suggesting the name may have originated from a place where beans were grown or traded.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Ralph Benekin is mentioned as holding land in Northumberland. The name can also be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, listing a Thomas Benekin and his wife Alice.
In the 15th century, variations of the name such as Benekyn and Benekyng were common spellings, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of 1524 for Yorkshire record a John Benekyng, while the Wills and Inventories of 1558 mention a Robert Benekyn.
Notable individuals with the surname BENEKIN include Sir William Benekin (1525-1592), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London, and his son, John Benekin (1560-1621), who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark in 1597.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Benekin (1670-1741), a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in England, located in Stratford-upon-Avon. Her efforts were instrumental in promoting education for women during a time when it was still uncommon.
In the 18th century, the surname appeared in various parish records across Yorkshire and Northumberland, with families such as the Benekins of Whitby and the Benekins of Newcastle upon Tyne being documented.
One of the most prominent individuals with the surname was Sir Henry Benekin (1785-1863), a celebrated naval officer who played a crucial role in several battles during the Napoleonic Wars, earning him widespread recognition and numerous honors.
Throughout its history, the surname BENEKIN has maintained its English roots, with various spellings and variations appearing in historical records across the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benekin
Among Census respondents with the surname Benekin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Benekin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Benekin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.7% · 94
- Two or more races4.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- White1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benekin
Benekin appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 807 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 807 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Benekin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #152,339 | -0.5% |
| Count | 108 | 106 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benekin bearers went from 108 to 106 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 807 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,339.
FAQ
Benekin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benekin?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Benekin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Benekin?
Benekin ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Benekin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Benekin.
Has Benekin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benekin went from 108 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Benekin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benekin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benekin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benekin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (88.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Benekin (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Benekin mean?
A surname originating from medieval English, meaning "a good kin" or "good kinsman". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Benekin (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Benekin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.