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

Benish, 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 Benish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benish in America

Benish is the 20843rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benish surname appeared 1,266 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 Benish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benish 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 Benish

The surname BENISH has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "benisch," which means "belonging to the bench." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a bench craftsman or who lived near a bench-related landmark.

The earliest known record of the BENISH surname can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria. In a census from 1567, a family by the name of Benisch is listed among the town's residents.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the BENISH surname was Hans Benisch, a woodcarver who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, in the late 16th century. His intricate wooden sculptures and carvings adorned several churches and public buildings in the city.

In the 17th century, the name BENISH appeared in various records throughout the German states, with slight variations in spelling, such as Benisch, Bennisch, and Bennisch. One notable individual was Johann Benisch, a renowned clockmaker born in Augsburg, Germany, in 1629. His masterfully crafted clocks were sought after by nobility and the affluent throughout Europe.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Benisch, a German philosopher and educator who lived from 1738 to 1815. He taught at the University of Göttingen and made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy.

As the BENISH surname spread across Europe, it also found its way into neighboring countries. In the 19th century, a branch of the family settled in the Czech lands, where the name was adapted to the Czech spelling "Beniš." One prominent Czech bearer of the name was Karel Beniš, a renowned architect and urban planner who designed many notable buildings in Prague and other cities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the BENISH surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with descendants settling in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and artisanal traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benish

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

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

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

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