2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Benemerito
Meaning well-deserving, benevolent, or meritorious.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Benemerito. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benemerito 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Benemerito in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benemerito, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benemerito
The surname "Benemerito" is of Spanish origin and dates back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Spanish phrase "bien merecido," which translates to "well-deserved." This name was likely given to individuals who had earned respect or recognition for their deeds or accomplishments.
The earliest known recorded instance of the surname "Benemerito" can be found in historical documents from the region of Castile in central Spain. During the Spanish Golden Age, this name was associated with nobility and those who had performed commendable acts in service to the crown or their communities.
One notable individual bearing this surname was Don Juan Benemerito, a Spanish military commander who fought in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors in the late 15th century. He was renowned for his bravery and strategic leadership during the conquest of Granada.
In the 17th century, the Benemerito family established itself in the city of Seville, where they were influential landowners and patrons of the arts. Francisco Benemerito (1602-1675), a wealthy merchant and art collector, was instrumental in commissioning several works from renowned Spanish painters of the Baroque period.
During the colonial era, the surname "Benemerito" spread to Spanish territories in the Americas. One notable figure was Pedro Benemerito (1718-1804), a criollo landowner and philanthropist in New Spain (present-day Mexico). He was recognized for his efforts in establishing schools and hospitals for the local population.
In the 19th century, Manuel Benemerito (1820-1892) was a prominent lawyer and politician in Guatemala. He played a crucial role in drafting the country's first constitution and served as a diplomat, representing Guatemala in several international conferences.
Another notable individual was Juana Benemerito (1845-1918), a Chilean educator and women's rights activist. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Santiago and campaigned tirelessly for women's access to higher education and suffrage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benemerito
Among Census respondents with the surname Benemerito, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Benemerito 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 Benemerito surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander61.4% · 62
- White29.7% · 30
- Two or more races6.9% · 7
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benemerito
Benemerito 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
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,442 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 4,442 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 Benemerito 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 | #159,712 | #155,270 | 2.8% |
| Count | 101 | 101 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benemerito bearers went from 101 to 101 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 4,442 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #155,270.
FAQ
Benemerito surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benemerito?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Benemerito. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Benemerito?
Benemerito ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Benemerito. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Benemerito.
Has Benemerito become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benemerito went from 101 recorded bearers to 101. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Benemerito?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benemerito, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.4%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Two or More Races (6.9%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benemerito in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.4% (62 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benemerito appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (61.4%), White (29.7%), Two or More Races (6.9%). 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 Benemerito (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 Benemerito mean?
Meaning well-deserving, benevolent, or meritorious. 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 Benemerito (0.03 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 Benemerito?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.