2000
#84,968
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 205
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Benjamine
A Jewish surname derived from the name Benjamin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Benjamine. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benjamine 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Benjamine in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benjamine, the largest self-reported group is Black at 42.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benjamine
The surname Benjamine is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to the Old French word "benaamin," which was derived from the Hebrew name "Binyamin," meaning "son of the right hand."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benjamine can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Beniamin" in reference to a landowner in Lincolnshire. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.
During the 13th century, the name Benjamine began to emerge in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and tenants in England. One notable individual from this period was Sir John Benjamine, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century.
As the name spread across England, it took on various spellings, such as Benjamyn, Benjamyne, and Benjamyne, reflecting the fluidity of naming conventions in those times. In some regions, the name was associated with specific place names, such as Benjamine's Manor in Kent, which was mentioned in the Feet of Fines records in the 14th century.
During the Renaissance period, the Benjamine surname gained prominence with several notable individuals. One such figure was William Benjamine (1460-1528), a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1516 to 1528. Another prominent Benjamine was Sir Robert Benjamine (1547-1618), a courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the Benjamine surname continued to flourish, with several noteworthy individuals bearing the name. Thomas Benjamine (1592-1653) was a renowned English Puritan clergyman and author, while John Benjamine (1617-1682) was a prominent English poet and playwright during the Restoration period.
As the centuries progressed, the Benjamine surname expanded its reach, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields. Notable examples include the English historian Edward Benjamine (1781-1857), the American politician Samuel Benjamine (1828-1892), and the British artist Walter Benjamine (1860-1943).
Throughout its history, the surname Benjamine has undergone various spelling variations and has been associated with different regions and place names, reflecting the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped its evolution over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benjamine
Among Census respondents with the surname Benjamine, the largest self-reported group is Black at 42.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Benjamine 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 Benjamine surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American42.5% · 48
- White38.1% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.8% · 10
- Two or more races8.8% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benjamine
Benjamine 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-74 bearers (-36.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 44,857 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-18 bearers (-13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,396 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #84,968 | 205 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -74 bearers (-36.1%) | Down 44,857 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-13.7%) | Down 17,396 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 Benjamine 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 | #129,825 | #147,221 | -13.4% |
| Count | 131 | 113 | -13.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benjamine bearers went from 131 to 113 (-13.7% change). The surname moved down 17,396 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #147,221.
FAQ
Benjamine surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benjamine?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Benjamine. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Benjamine?
Benjamine ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Benjamine. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Benjamine.
Has Benjamine become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benjamine went from 131 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 18 (-13.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Benjamine?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benjamine, the largest self-reported group is Black at 42.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Benjamine in the 2020 Census, accounting for 42.5% (48 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benjamine appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (42.5%), White (38.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.8%). 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 Benjamine (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 Benjamine mean?
A Jewish surname derived from the name Benjamin. 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 Benjamine (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 Benjamine?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Benjamine at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.