2000
#17,334
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,503
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.56
Rare Last name
Bennion
A surname derived from a place name in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,179 Americans carry the last name Bennion. That puts it at #14,946 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 157,299 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bennion 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 Bennion with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 157,299
Census rank
#14,946
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,900 bearers of the surname Bennion in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14946th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bennion, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bennion
The surname Bennion has its roots in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "benne" and "tun," which collectively translate to "bean farm" or "bean enclosure." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals residing in or near a location known for its bean cultivation.
One of the earliest documented references to the Bennion name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population records commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Benintun" and "Bennington," reflecting the evolution of language and dialects over time.
During the 13th century, a prominent figure bearing the Bennion surname was Sir John Bennion, a knight who served under King Edward I. He played a significant role in the Welsh wars, earning recognition for his military exploits. Another notable Bennion from this period was William Bennion, a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Derbyshire.
The 16th century saw the emergence of Bennion families in various parts of England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in its modern spelling can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury, Lancashire, where a John Bennion was christened in 1587.
A prominent figure from the 17th century was Richard Bennion, born in 1632 in Bury, Lancashire. He was a influential landowner and magistrate, known for his involvement in local governance and community affairs.
In the 18th century, the Bennion family had established roots in various regions of England, including Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. One notable individual from this period was Samuel Bennion, born in 1742 in Bury, Lancashire. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist, contributing significantly to the development of his local community.
As the centuries progressed, the Bennion surname continued to spread across England and beyond, with some individuals migrating to other parts of the world, carrying the name with them. Throughout its history, the Bennion name has been associated with a diverse range of professions, including agriculture, commerce, military service, and public service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bennion
Among Census respondents with the surname Bennion, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bennion 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 Bennion surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 1,784
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 48
- Two or more races2.3% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 14
- Black or African American0.5% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bennion
Bennion 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
#16,679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,717
+214 bearers (+14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.58
Rank movement Up 655 places
2020
#14,946
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,900
+183 bearers (+10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 1,733 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,334 | 1,503 | 0.56 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,679 | 1,717 | 0.58 | +214 bearers (+14.2%) | Up 655 places |
| 2020 | #14,946 | 1,900 | 0.64 | +183 bearers (+10.7%) | Up 1,733 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 Bennion 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 | #16,679 | #14,946 | 10.4% |
| Count | 1,717 | 1,900 | 10.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.58 | 0.64 | 9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bennion bearers went from 1,717 to 1,900 (+10.7% change). The surname moved up 1,733 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,679 to #14,946.
FAQ
Bennion surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bennion?
Name Census estimates that about 2,179 living Americans carry the surname Bennion. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 157,299 residents.
How common is Bennion?
Bennion ranks #14,946 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,900 people with the surname Bennion. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,179), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bennion.
Has Bennion become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bennion went from 1,717 recorded bearers to 1,900. That is an increase of 183 (+10.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,679 to #14,946.
What does the Census say about the background of Bennion?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bennion, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Bennion in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (1,784 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bennion appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Bennion (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 Bennion mean?
A surname derived from a place name in England. 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 Bennion (0.64 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 Bennion?
If you just want to know how common the surname Bennion is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.