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

Benge, 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 Benge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benge in America

Benge is the 6750th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benge surname appeared 4,995 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Benge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benge 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 Benge

The surname Benge is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Somerset. It is thought to derive from the Old English word "benge," which referred to a steep hill or slope. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term used to identify a person who resided near or on a prominent hill or ridge.

The earliest recorded instances of the Benge surname can be traced back to the 13th century. Some of the earliest documented examples include Robert atte Benge, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327, and John Benge, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1346.

Throughout the centuries, the Benge name has been associated with various locations in Somerset, such as the village of Benge Sutton, which was once known as "Benge." This village may have served as the ancestral home for some families bearing the Benge surname.

One notable individual with the Benge surname was Sir William Benge (1582-1654), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of King Charles I. He played a role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Parliamentarian cause but later switching allegiances to the Royalists.

Another prominent figure was Richard Benge (1628-1696), an English physician and author who published several medical treatises in the latter half of the 17th century, including "A Discourse on the Plague" and "The Husbandman's Guide to Health."

In the realm of literature, Harriet Benge (1815-1892) was a British writer and novelist who contributed to periodicals and published works such as "The Daughters of England" and "Memoirs of a Tory Royalist."

John Benge (1833-1897) was a British architect who designed various notable buildings in London, including St. Andrew's Church in Holborn and the former premises of the Globe Theatre.

Lastly, Thomas Benge (1907-1989) was a British artist and engraver known for his intricate wood engravings, many of which depicted landscapes and architectural subjects. His works were exhibited at prestigious institutions like the Royal Academy of Arts.

While the Benge surname has roots in England, particularly in Somerset, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and family histories. Nonetheless, the name's origins can be traced back to the Old English term for a steep hill or slope, reflecting the descriptive nature of many early English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benge

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!