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

Bennit, 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 Bennit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bennit in America

Bennit is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bennit surname appeared 100 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 Bennit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bennit 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 Bennit

The surname BENNIT is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bene," which means a bean or legume. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a grower or seller of beans.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Benet" or "Benett." It is also possible that the name is related to the French surname "Benoit," which has a similar origin and meaning.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name BENNIT can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1199, where a certain "Robert Benet" is listed as a taxpayer. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial transactions and payments made to the English Crown during the medieval period.

The BENNIT surname also appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This indicates that the name had already established roots in the country by the late 11th century.

Notable individuals with the BENNIT surname throughout history include Sir John Bennit (1564-1628), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was William Bennit (1711-1776), a celebrated botanist and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of plant life in the American colonies.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Elizabeth Bennit (1789-1862), an English novelist and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring the themes of social injustice and women's rights.

During the 16th century, the BENNIT family had a strong presence in the county of Berkshire, where they owned lands and estates. One notable member from this era was Sir Thomas Bennit (1523-1591), a wealthy landowner and influential figure in the local community.

Another interesting figure is Richard Bennit (1674-1743), a renowned clockmaker and inventor who is credited with developing some of the earliest designs for precision timepieces during the era of mechanical clocks.

While the BENNIT surname may have evolved from humble beginnings related to agriculture and bean cultivation, it has since been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, from law and politics to science and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bennit

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

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

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

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