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

Benzant, 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 Benzant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benzant in America

Benzant is the 140157th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benzant surname appeared 119 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 Benzant.

The history of the last name Benzant

The surname Benzant is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "bensen," which means "blessed" or "holy." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was considered particularly pious or devout.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Benzant can be found in a medieval manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions a man named Mathieu Benzant who was a monk in the Abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris. This provides evidence that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family with the surname Benzant living in the village of Béziers in the Languedoc region of southern France. It is possible that the name may have originated in this area and later spread to other parts of the country.

During the 14th century, the name Benzant appears in several historical documents, including tax records and parish registers. One notable individual from this period was Jean Benzant, a wealthy merchant who lived in the city of Lyon and was influential in the local guild of textile traders.

By the 15th century, the Benzant family had established itself as minor nobility in the Burgundy region of eastern France. In 1472, a man named Philippe Benzant was knighted for his service in the army of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.

Over the centuries, the surname Benzant has been recorded with various spellings, such as Bensant, Bensent, and Benzent, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. Some of these alternate spellings may have been influenced by the similar-sounding French word "bénissant," meaning "blessing."

Other notable individuals with the surname Benzant throughout history include Marguerite Benzant, a renowned lacemaker in the 16th century, and Jacques Benzant, a French philosopher and writer who lived in the 17th century. In the 19th century, there was a French admiral named Louis Benzant who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benzant

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

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

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

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