2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Benzaken
An Arabic surname meaning "son of Zaken".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Benzaken. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Benzaken 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.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Benzaken in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Benzaken, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Benzaken
The surname BENZAKEN is of Moroccan origin, believed to have emerged during the 15th century in the region of Fez. It is derived from the Arabic phrase "Banu Zaken," which translates to "children of Zaken," likely referring to an ancestral figure or patriarch.
BENZAKEN is a variation of the more common spelling "Ben Zaken," reflecting the linguistic influence of the Moroccan Arabic dialect. The name's roots can be traced back to the Jewish communities of North Africa, particularly those of Fez and neighboring areas.
Historical records from the 16th century, such as the Megillat Yuhasin (Chronicles of the Jewish People), mention individuals bearing the surname BENZAKEN residing in Fez and other Moroccan cities. These early references suggest that the name had already established itself within the Jewish community by that time.
One of the earliest known individuals with the BENZAKEN surname was Rabbi Isaac Ben Zaken, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in Fez during the late 15th century. His works and teachings had a profound impact on the intellectual and religious discourse of the era.
Another notable figure was Raphael BENZAKEN, a prominent merchant and philanthropist who lived in the city of Meknes in the 17th century. His wealth and influence allowed him to support various charitable initiatives within the Jewish community.
In the 18th century, the name BENZAKEN appeared in records from the city of Marrakesh, where a family of that name occupied a respected position among the local Jewish population.
As the BENZAKEN family spread across Morocco and beyond, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. For instance, the name was sometimes written as "Ben Zaquen" or "Ben Zakin," reflecting regional linguistic differences.
Throughout the centuries, the BENZAKEN surname has been associated with notable individuals in various fields, such as Rabbi David BENZAKEN, a prominent scholar and writer who lived in Fez during the 19th century, and Joseph BENZAKEN, a successful businessman and community leader who resided in Tangier in the early 20th century.
While the surname BENZAKEN originated within the Jewish communities of Morocco, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, carrying with it a rich cultural and historical legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Benzaken
Among Census respondents with the surname Benzaken, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Benzaken 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 Benzaken surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino8.0% · 9
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Benzaken
Benzaken 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,049 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-11 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,505 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 10,049 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 11,505 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 Benzaken 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 | #136,449 | #147,954 | -8.4% |
| Count | 123 | 112 | -8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Benzaken bearers went from 123 to 112 (-8.9% change). The surname moved down 11,505 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #147,954.
FAQ
Benzaken surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Benzaken?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Benzaken. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Benzaken?
Benzaken ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Benzaken. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Benzaken.
Has Benzaken become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Benzaken went from 123 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Benzaken?
Among Census respondents with the surname Benzaken, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Benzaken in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Benzaken appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Hispanic (8.0%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Benzaken (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 Benzaken mean?
An Arabic surname meaning "son of Zaken". 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 Benzaken (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 Americans have the surname Benzaken?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.