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

Bentacourt, 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 Bentacourt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bentacourt in America

Bentacourt is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bentacourt surname appeared 116 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 Bentacourt.

The history of the last name Bentacourt

The surname Bentacourt originated in Portugal during the late medieval period, likely in the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese words "benta" (blessed) and "corte" (court), potentially referring to a person who served in a royal or noble court. Alternatively, it may have stemmed from a place name, as many surnames emerged from the locations where families resided.

The earliest known records of the Bentacourt name appear in Portuguese documents from the 15th century. One notable figure was João Gonçalves Zarco, also known as João Gonçalves da Câmara Bentacourt (1390-1472), a Portuguese explorer who led the conquest and colonization of the Madeira Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.

In the 16th century, the Bentacourt surname spread to other parts of Europe, including Spain and Italy. Juan Bentacourt (1510-1568), a Spanish navigator and explorer, accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous expedition and became one of the first Europeans to circumnavigate the globe.

The Bentacourt name also found its way to the Americas during the colonial era. Pedro de Bentacourt (1555-1632), a Spanish soldier and explorer, played a significant role in the conquest of Chile and the establishment of Santiago, the capital city.

Another noteworthy figure was Alvaro de Navia Osorio y Bentacourt (1686-1732), a Spanish nobleman who served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1730 to 1732. He was known for his efforts to modernize the administration and infrastructure of the Spanish colonies in the Americas.

In more recent times, the Bentacourt surname has been found in various parts of the world, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Latin America, and even in some English-speaking countries due to immigration and intermarriage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bentacourt

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

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 Bentacourt 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.

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

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

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