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

Benet, 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 Benet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benet in America

Benet is the 53072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benet surname appeared 390 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 Benet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benet 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 Benet

The surname Benet has its origins in medieval France, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "benedictus," which means "blessed." The name was initially a nickname given to those who were considered pious or virtuous individuals.

In the early records of France, the name appears in various spellings, such as Beneit, Benoit, and Benoit. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name is recorded as "Benet."

The name Benet was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northwestern France. It is believed that during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many individuals with the surname Benet accompanied William the Conqueror and settled in various parts of England.

One notable historical figure with the surname Benet was William Benet (c. 1370-1428), an English judge and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Henry VI.

Another prominent individual was Christopher Benet (1617-1698), an English Puritan clergyman and author who played a significant role in the religious and political turmoil of the 17th century.

In the 16th century, the name Benet was associated with the town of Benet in Normandy, France. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain regions.

During the Renaissance period, the surname Benet was also found in Italy, where it was sometimes spelled as Benetti or Benedetti. One notable Italian bearer of the name was Girolamo Benetti (1553-1625), a renowned sculptor and architect from Ferrara.

In Scotland, the name Benet has connections to the Clan Buchanan, whose ancestral lands were located in the region of Loch Lomond. The clan's motto, "Clarior hinc honos," means "Brighter hence the honour," which may have some symbolic relationship to the meaning of the name Benet.

Other notable individuals with the surname Benet include Sir John Benet (1563-1627), an English politician and landowner, and Sir William Benet (1564-1616), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benet

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

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

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

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