2000
#6,420
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,883
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.81
Rare Last name
Benham
A locational surname derived from any of several places in England named Benham, meaning "bean homestead."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,480 Americans carry the last name Benham. That puts it at #6,783 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 62,546 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benham 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Benham with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.5K
1 in 62,546
Census rank
#6,783
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,779 bearers of the surname Benham in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6783rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benham, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benham
Among Census respondents with the surname Benham, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Benham 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 Benham surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.6% · 4,185
- Two or more races4.4% · 212
- Black or African American3.4% · 162
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 138
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 52
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benham
Benham appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,955
+72 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 1.68
Rank movement Down 387 places
2020
#6,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,779
-176 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 1.60
Rank movement Up 24 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,420 | 4,883 | 1.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,807 | 4,955 | 1.68 | +72 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 387 places |
| 2020 | #6,783 | 4,779 | 1.60 | -176 bearers (-3.6%) | Up 24 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 Benham 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 | #6,807 | #6,783 | 0.4% |
| Count | 4,955 | 4,779 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.68 | 1.60 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benham bearers went from 4,955 to 4,779 (-3.6% change). The surname moved up 24 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,807 to #6,783.
FAQ
Benham surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benham?
Name Census estimates that about 5,480 living Americans carry the surname Benham. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 62,546 residents.
How common is Benham?
Benham ranks #6,783 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,779 people with the surname Benham. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,480), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Benham.
Has Benham become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benham went from 4,955 recorded bearers to 4,779. That is a decrease of 176 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,807 to #6,783.
What does the Census say about the background of Benham?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benham, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Black (3.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benham in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (4,185 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benham appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.6%), Two or More Races (4.4%), Black (3.4%). 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 Benham (2000, 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 Benham mean?
A locational surname derived from any of several places in England named Benham, meaning "bean homestead." 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 Benham (1.60 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 common is the surname Benham?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Benham is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.