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

Benham, 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 Benham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benham in America

Benham is the 6807th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benham surname appeared 4,955 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 Benham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benham 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 Benham

The surname Benham originated in England during the medieval period, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English words "bene" meaning "bean" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where beans were grown or cultivated, such as a hamlet or a village known for its bean farming.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benham can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The rolls mention a certain "Robert de Beneham" in the county of Berkshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century and may have originated from a location in or near Berkshire.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Beneham," "Benehamme," and "Benham." This variation in spelling was common during that period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established. One notable example from this era is John de Beneham, who was recorded as a landowner in the county of Oxfordshire in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name continued to be found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire. One notable figure from this period was Richard Benham, who was born in 1515 and served as a member of the court of King Henry VIII.

In the 18th century, the Benham family established itself as a prominent landowning family in the county of Berkshire. One notable member was William Benham (1738-1820), who was a wealthy landowner and served as a magistrate in the town of Reading.

In the 19th century, the name Benham gained further recognition with the birth of Charles Edmund Benham (1811-1893), a renowned English naturalist and geologist. He made significant contributions to the study of marine biology and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

Another notable figure from this period was William Benham (1831-1910), a British clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Auckland in New Zealand. He played a significant role in the development of the Anglican Church in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname Benham has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, law, academia, and the clergy. While the name originated as a locational surname in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benham

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

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

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

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