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

Benin, 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 Benin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benin in America

Benin is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benin surname appeared 173 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 Benin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benin 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 Benin

The surname Benin originated from the West African country of the same name, which was formerly known as the Kingdom of Benin. The name can be traced back to the 13th century and is believed to derive from the Edo word "Ubinu," meaning "land of the venerables" or "land of the great people."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Benin can be found in the writings of Portuguese explorer Duarte Pacheco Pereira, who visited the region in 1487. He described the kingdom as a powerful and prosperous state, with a well-organized army and a thriving trade in ivory, pepper, and cloth.

The Kingdom of Benin was known for its rich cultural heritage, including the famous Benin Bronzes, a collection of intricate metal sculptures and plaques that were created by skilled artisans. These bronzes, along with other artifacts, were looted by British forces during the Benin Expedition of 1897, and many can now be found in museums around the world.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Benin was Oba Ewuare the Great, who ruled the Kingdom of Benin from 1440 to 1473. He is credited with expanding the kingdom's territory and strengthening its military power. Another notable figure was Oba Ovonramwen, who reigned from 1888 to 1914 and was deposed during the Benin Expedition.

Outside of the Kingdom of Benin, the surname can also be found in other parts of West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana. In the 19th century, there were records of individuals with the surname Benin living in Sierra Leone, such as John Benin, a merchant and trader who was born around 1815.

Another notable individual with the surname Benin was Edith Benin-Simao, a Beninese politician and human rights activist who was born in 1957. She served as a member of the National Assembly of Benin and was known for her work in promoting women's rights and social justice.

Throughout history, the surname Benin has been associated with the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of the Kingdom of Benin, a once-powerful state that left a lasting legacy in West Africa and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benin

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

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

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

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