2000
#1,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,842
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.98
Uncommon Last name
Benoit
A French surname derived from the Latin name "Benedictus," meaning "blessed" or "well-spoken."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 22,167 Americans carry the last name Benoit. That puts it at #1,818 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 15,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benoit 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 Benoit with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
22K
1 in 15,462
Census rank
#1,818
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
19K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 19,331 bearers of the surname Benoit in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1818th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benoit, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benoit
The surname Benoit has its origins in France and dates back to the Middle Ages. It derives from the Latin name Benedictus, which means "blessed." The name was commonly used as a personal name among medieval Christians and later evolved into a surname.
In the 11th century, the name Benoit appeared in the famous Domesday Book, a manuscript commissioned by William the Conqueror to record landholdings in England. This record suggests that individuals with this name may have migrated from France to England during the Norman Conquest.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Benoit was Etienne Benoit, a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the 12th century. He was known for his works on Christian ethics and contributed to the intellectual discourse of his time.
During the 13th century, the Benoit family established itself in the region of Normandy, France. Records from this period show several variations of the spelling, including Benoist, Benoît, and Benoit.
In the 14th century, Jean Benoit, a French poet and composer, gained recognition for his contributions to the development of polyphonic music. His works were widely disseminated throughout Europe and influenced subsequent generations of musicians.
The 16th century saw the rise of Pierre Benoit, a French Catholic priest and theologian who played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation. He was known for his efforts to promote Catholic doctrine and combat the spread of Protestantism in France.
In the 18th century, François Benoit, a French architect, gained fame for his work on the Petit Trianon, a small château located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. His architectural designs showcased the opulent style of the French Baroque period.
During the 19th century, Pierre-Victor Benoit, a Belgian composer and conductor, made significant contributions to the development of Romantic music. His compositions, including operas and orchestral works, were widely acclaimed and performed throughout Europe.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who have carried the surname Benoit throughout history, reflecting its French origins and its presence in various fields, including philosophy, theology, music, architecture, and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benoit
Among Census respondents with the surname Benoit, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Benoit 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 Benoit surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.2% · 14,932
- Black or African American14.6% · 2,817
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 718
- Two or more races3.4% · 664
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 92
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benoit
Benoit 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
#1,775
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 20,160
+1,318 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 6.83
Rank movement Down 34 places
2020
#1,818
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,331
-829 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 6.47
Rank movement Down 43 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,741 | 18,842 | 6.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,775 | 20,160 | 6.83 | +1,318 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 34 places |
| 2020 | #1,818 | 19,331 | 6.47 | -829 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 43 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 Benoit 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 | #1,775 | #1,818 | -2.4% |
| Count | 20,160 | 19,331 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 6.83 | 6.47 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benoit bearers went from 20,160 to 19,331 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 43 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,775 to #1,818.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Benoit
FAQ
Benoit surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benoit?
Name Census estimates that about 22,167 living Americans carry the surname Benoit. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 15,462 residents.
How common is Benoit?
Benoit ranks #1,818 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 19,331 people with the surname Benoit. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (22,167), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Benoit.
Has Benoit become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benoit went from 20,160 recorded bearers to 19,331. That is a decrease of 829 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,775 to #1,818.
What does the Census say about the background of Benoit?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benoit, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.6%) and Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Benoit in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.2% (14,932 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benoit appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.2%), Black (14.6%), Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Benoit (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 Benoit mean?
A French surname derived from the Latin name "Benedictus," meaning "blessed" or "well-spoken." 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 Benoit (6.47 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 are called Benoit?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Benoit, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.