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

Bent, 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 Bent surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bent in America

Bent is the 7001st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bent surname appeared 4,785 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bent.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bent 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 Bent

The surname "BENT" is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bente," which means a coarse grass or reed. It is likely that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone who lived near an area overgrown with reeds or coarse grass.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest known record of surnames in England, there are several entries with variations of the name, such as "Bente" and "Bente de la Bente." These early spellings suggest that the name was initially a descriptive one, referring to a person's proximity to a specific location or feature.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "BENT" was William Bent, who lived in Berkshire, England, in the 13th century. His name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England at the time.

Another notable figure with the surname "BENT" was John Bent, a 14th-century English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the time, including the City of London's Letter Books.

In the 16th century, the name "BENT" was also found in various place names in England, such as Bentley and Bentworth, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the Old English word "bente."

Sir John Bent (1565-1618) was a prominent English politician and landowner during the reign of King James I. He served as a Member of Parliament for Kent and was knighted in 1603.

Samuel Bent (1776-1842) was an English inventor and engineer who is credited with developing the world's first successful working model of a patented machine for producing continuous lengths of flat iron bars, known as the "flat bar mill."

Silas Bent (1768-1854) was an American Revolutionary War soldier and early pioneer who settled in the Missouri Territory. He is known for establishing the Bent's Old Fort, an important trading post on the Santa Fe Trail.

The surname "BENT" has been carried by various notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in the English-speaking world. While its origins may have been humble, referring to someone living near reeds or coarse grass, the name has since gained a rich historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bent

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

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

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

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