2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Benisek
Derived from a Slavic language term meaning roughly "traveler" or "wanderer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Benisek. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benisek 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.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Benisek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benisek, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benisek
The surname Benisek is of Czech origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period in the region of Bohemia, now part of the modern-day Czech Republic. The name is believed to have derived from the Czech word "beniček," which means "a small bundle" or "a small package." This etymological connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation or a physical characteristic associated with carrying or handling bundles or packages.
One of the earliest records of the name Benisek can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus et Epistolaris Regni Bohemiae, a collection of historical documents and manuscripts from the Kingdom of Bohemia, dating back to the 13th century. This codex contains references to individuals with variations of the surname, such as "Benischek" and "Benissek."
The town of Benešov, located in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, is believed to have played a significant role in the origin and spread of the Benisek surname. It is possible that the name may have originated from this place name or from the surrounding areas.
Notable historical figures with the surname Benisek include Jan Benisek (1608-1677), a Czech Roman Catholic priest and writer known for his theological works and sermons. Another prominent individual was Václav Benisek (1723-1798), a Czech composer and organist who contributed to the development of Czech baroque music.
In the 19th century, Antonín Benisek (1815-1878) was a Czech writer and translator who played a vital role in promoting Czech literature and culture. His works included translations of notable authors such as William Shakespeare and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
The name Benisek also appears in Polish historical records, suggesting that it may have spread beyond the borders of the Czech lands. One notable figure was Franciszek Benisek (1885-1957), a Polish architect and urban planner who was instrumental in the reconstruction and development of Warsaw after World War II.
While the Benisek surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the name remains relatively uncommon outside of its traditional geographic origins, making its historical significance and connections to Czech culture and heritage all the more remarkable.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benisek
Among Census respondents with the surname Benisek, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Benisek 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 Benisek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benisek
Benisek 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,617 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,617 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,182 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 Benisek 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 | #152,628 | #149,446 | 2.1% |
| Count | 107 | 110 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benisek bearers went from 107 to 110 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #149,446.
FAQ
Benisek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benisek?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Benisek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Benisek?
Benisek ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Benisek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Benisek.
Has Benisek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benisek went from 107 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Benisek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benisek, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Benisek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benisek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Hispanic (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Benisek (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 Benisek mean?
Derived from a Slavic language term meaning roughly "traveler" or "wanderer". 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 Benisek (0.04 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 many people have the last name Benisek?
You can see how many people have the surname Benisek on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.