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

Bento, 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 Bento surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bento in America

Bento is the 12025th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bento surname appeared 2,596 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bento.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bento 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 Bento

The surname Bento has its origins in Portugal, where it emerged during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Latin name Vincentius, which means "conquering" or "victorious." The name Vincentius was later adapted into the Portuguese form Vicente, and the diminutive form Bento came into use as a surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bento can be found in the Livro de Linhagens (Book of Lineages), a 14th-century Portuguese genealogical work. This manuscript mentions a certain Bento Soares, who lived in the 13th century and was a member of the nobility.

In the 15th century, there are records of a prominent figure named Bento Fernandes, who served as a royal scribe and notary during the reign of King Afonso V of Portugal (1432-1481). Fernandes played a crucial role in documenting important events and transactions of the Portuguese monarchy during that period.

Another notable individual with the surname Bento was Frei Bento de Caminha, a 16th-century Portuguese friar and explorer. He accompanied the first Portuguese expedition to Brazil in 1500, led by Pedro Álvares Cabral. Frei Bento de Caminha is best known for writing a letter to King Manuel I of Portugal, providing one of the earliest eyewitness accounts of the newly discovered land and its indigenous inhabitants.

During the Age of Portuguese Discoveries, the surname Bento spread beyond the borders of Portugal as Portuguese explorers, settlers, and missionaries ventured to various parts of the world. One such example is Pedro Bento da Silva (1570-1645), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary who traveled to Japan and worked to establish the Catholic Church there during the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

In the realm of arts and literature, one notable figure was António Bento (1585-1629), a Portuguese poet and playwright who was part of the Renaissance literary movement in Portugal. His works, such as the play "O Fidalgo Aprendiz" (The Nobleman Apprentice), were influential in shaping the development of Portuguese drama.

As the centuries passed, the surname Bento continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and political figures. However, it is essential to note that this is not an exhaustive history, and there may be other significant individuals with the surname Bento who have contributed to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bento

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

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

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

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