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

Bennet, 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 Bennet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bennet in America

Bennet is the 9237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bennet surname appeared 3,523 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bennet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bennet 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 Bennet

The surname Bennet is of Old French origin, derived from the personal name Benedict, which itself comes from the Latin "Benedictus" meaning "blessed". It is believed to have been introduced to England by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, appearing in various forms such as Benet, Benett, and Benet. One of the earliest known references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire from 1195, where a William Benet is mentioned.

During the Middle Ages, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. This is likely due to its Norman origins, as these areas were heavily influenced by the Norman aristocracy.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the Bennet surname. However, there are references to landholders with the given name Benedict, suggesting that the surname may have derived from some of these individuals.

One notable early bearer of the Bennet name was Sir William Bennet, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1408. Another was Thomas Bennet, a 16th-century English composer and organist who served at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

In the 17th century, the Bennet family played a significant role in the English Civil War. Sir John Bennet (1598-1682) was a staunch Royalist and served as a military commander under King Charles I. His son, Henry Bennet (1618-1685), was a prominent politician and diplomat who served as Secretary of State under Charles II.

The 18th century saw the rise of the celebrated playwright and author, Anna Laetitia Barbauld (née Aikin), who was born in 1743 and married Rochemont Barbauld, taking his surname. Her works, such as "Poems" and "Evenings at Home", were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

In the 19th century, James Gordon Bennet (1795-1872) was a prominent American journalist and publisher who founded the New York Herald newspaper. His son, James Gordon Bennet Jr. (1841-1918), also made a name for himself as a newspaper publisher and explorer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bennet

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

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

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

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