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

Benit, 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 Benit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benit in America

Benit is the 118853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benit surname appeared 146 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 Benit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benit 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 Benit

The surname BENIT has its origins in France, with the earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "benit," meaning "blessed" or "consecrated." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who held religious positions or were affiliated with the church.

In the 13th century, the name BENIT appeared in various manuscripts and records from the regions of Normandy and Brittany. One notable example is the mention of a Jacques BENIT in the charter rolls of the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel in 1271.

During the Middle Ages, the name BENIT was also found in various place names, such as Benit-sur-Mer, a small village in Normandy. This indicates that some families may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname BENIT was Jehan BENIT, a merchant from Rouen who was mentioned in the city's tax records in 1387. Another notable figure was Pierre BENIT, a scholar and theologian from Paris, who lived from 1445 to 1515.

In the 16th century, the BENIT family gained prominence in the region of Burgundy. Jean-Baptiste BENIT (1558-1628) was a renowned lawyer and judge who served as the President of the Parliament of Dijon.

Another notable bearer of the BENIT surname was Marie-Anne BENIT (1674-1742), a French writer and poet who was admired for her literary works during the Age of Enlightenment.

In the 18th century, the BENIT family had a presence in the wine-growing regions of Bordeaux. Jacques BENIT (1712-1785) was a respected winemaker whose Château Benit vineyards produced highly sought-after wines.

As the BENIT surname spread across France and Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as BENOIT, BENETTE, and BENARD, reflecting regional linguistic differences and scribal errors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benit

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

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

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

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