2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Benyon
A topographic name of unknown derivation, possibly from a location name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Benyon. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benyon 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 Benyon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Benyon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benyon, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benyon
The surname Benyon originated in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. Its roots can be traced back to the Old French word "benignus," meaning "kind" or "gentle," which itself derives from the Latin word "benignus." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a kind or gentle demeanor.
The earliest recorded variation of the name was "Beneyton," which appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This document was a survey of landholdings commissioned by King Edward I, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of landowners during that period.
In the 14th century, the surname was also recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, where it appeared as "Benyton." This variation suggests a potential connection to a place name, possibly derived from a location in Yorkshire or the surrounding areas.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Benyon, a prominent figure in the 15th century. He was a member of the gentry and served as the Sheriff of Berkshire in 1437. His descendants continued to hold significant landholdings and influence in the region for several generations.
During the 16th century, the Benyon family established themselves as notable landowners and gentry in the county of Berkshire. Richard Benyon, born in 1532, was a prominent member of the family during this time and held the position of High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1570.
Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Benyon, who lived from 1555 to 1621. He was a wealthy landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Berkshire in the early 17teenth century, representing the county's interests in the House of Commons.
In the 18th century, the Benyon family continued to maintain their status as influential landowners and gentry in Berkshire. One notable member was Richard Benyon, born in 1698, who inherited significant estates and properties in the region.
Sir Richard Michael Benyon, born in 1936, is a more recent example of a prominent figure with this surname. He was a British Conservative politician and served as a Member of Parliament for Newbury from 1987 to 2005, representing the constituency in the House of Commons.
Throughout its history, the Benyon surname has been closely associated with the county of Berkshire, where the family established their roots and maintained significant landholdings and influence over several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benyon
Among Census respondents with the surname Benyon, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Benyon 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 Benyon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.9% · 87
- Black or African American14.3% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benyon
Benyon 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-12 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 22,595 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,443 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 22,595 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 5,443 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 Benyon 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 | #158,432 | #152,989 | 3.4% |
| Count | 102 | 105 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benyon bearers went from 102 to 105 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 5,443 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #152,989.
FAQ
Benyon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benyon?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Benyon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Benyon?
Benyon ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Benyon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Benyon.
Has Benyon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benyon went from 102 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Benyon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benyon, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Benyon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.9% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benyon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.9%), Black (14.3%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Benyon (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 Benyon mean?
A topographic name of unknown derivation, possibly from a location name. 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 Benyon (0.04 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 Benyon?
You can see how many people have the last name Benyon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.