2000
#6,973
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,431
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.64
Rare Last name
Benn
A surname of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Bennet, meaning "blessed."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,215 Americans carry the last name Benn. That puts it at #7,092 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,725 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benn 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Benn with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 65,725
Census rank
#7,092
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,548 bearers of the surname Benn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7092nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benn, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.4%. The next largest groups are Black (37.8%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benn
The surname Benn has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "benn," which means "ridge" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a prominent ridge or hilltop.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Benn can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1236 mention a William Benn, while the Calendarium Inquisitionum post Mortem from 1328 lists a John Benne.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to several place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname Benn. These include Benhall in Suffolk, Benenden in Kent, and Benningworth in Lincolnshire.
The name Benn has had several spelling variations throughout history, such as Benne, Bene, Benne, and Benn. These variations often reflect regional dialects and the evolution of language over time.
One notable person with the surname Benn was Sir Anthony Benn (1925-2014), a British Labour politician and cabinet minister who served in several governments during the 20th century. He was also a prolific writer and diarist, known for his left-wing views and advocacy for democratic reform.
Another prominent figure was Gottfried Benn (1886-1956), a German poet and essayist who was associated with the Expressionist movement. His poetry was known for its stark imagery and exploration of themes such as death, decay, and the fragility of human existence.
In the 17th century, there was a notable English clergyman named William Benn (1600-1680) who served as the Bishop of Hereford and was a renowned preacher and writer on theological subjects.
The name Benn has also been associated with several places in England, such as Benn's Green in Sussex and Benn's Hill in Somerset. These place names may have originated from individuals with the surname Benn who lived in or owned land in those areas.
Another historical figure with the surname Benn was John Benn (1572-1625), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. His work, "A Romish Horseleech" (1624), was a critique of the Catholic Church and its practices.
While the surname Benn has undergone various changes in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, it has remained a distinct and recognizable name in many parts of England and beyond, reflecting the rich tapestry of history and cultural influences that have shaped its evolution.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benn
Among Census respondents with the surname Benn, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.4%. The next largest groups are Black (37.8%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Benn 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 Benn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White50.4% · 2,290
- Black or African American37.8% · 1,718
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 203
- Two or more races4.1% · 185
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.3% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 49
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benn
Benn 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
#7,099
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,716
+285 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 1.60
Rank movement Down 126 places
2020
#7,092
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,548
-168 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 1.52
Rank movement Up 7 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,973 | 4,431 | 1.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,099 | 4,716 | 1.60 | +285 bearers (+6.4%) | Down 126 places |
| 2020 | #7,092 | 4,548 | 1.52 | -168 bearers (-3.6%) | Up 7 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 Benn 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 | #7,099 | #7,092 | 0.1% |
| Count | 4,716 | 4,548 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.60 | 1.52 | -4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benn bearers went from 4,716 to 4,548 (-3.6% change). The surname moved up 7 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,099 to #7,092.
FAQ
Benn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benn?
Name Census estimates that about 5,215 living Americans carry the surname Benn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,725 residents.
How common is Benn?
Benn ranks #7,092 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,548 people with the surname Benn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,215), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.52 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.52 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Benn.
Has Benn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benn went from 4,716 recorded bearers to 4,548. That is a decrease of 168 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,099 to #7,092.
What does the Census say about the background of Benn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benn, the largest self-reported group is White at 50.4%. The next largest groups are Black (37.8%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Benn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.4% (2,290 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (50.4%), Black (37.8%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Benn (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 Benn mean?
A surname of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Bennet, meaning "blessed." 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 Benn (1.52 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 Benn?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Benn, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.