2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bequeaith
An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "bequethen" meaning "to hand down by will or legacy."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Bequeaith. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bequeaith 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Bequeaith in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bequeaith, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bequeaith
The surname "BEQUEAITH" is believed to have originated in the northern regions of England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bequeathan," which means "to bequeath" or "to leave behind." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who inherited property or possessions through a bequest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named "Radulfus Bequeath" is listed as a landowner in the county of Yorkshire. The spelling variations during this time included "Bequeathe," "Bequethe," and "Bequeith."
In the 13th century, there is a record of a "Johannes de Bequeaith" who held land in the village of Bequeaith, located in the county of Northumberland. The name of the village itself may have been derived from the surname, indicating that the family had a strong presence in the area.
During the 14th century, a notable figure with this surname was Sir William Bequeaith, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1320 and died in battle near Calais in 1349.
In the 16th century, there is a record of a wealthy merchant named Robert Bequeaith (1520-1587) who lived in the city of York. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and his philanthropic efforts in supporting local churches and schools.
Another prominent individual was Elizabeth Bequeaith (1645-1721), a landowner and philanthropist from Lincolnshire. She was instrumental in establishing a charity school for underprivileged children in her hometown and left a significant portion of her estate to support the school's operations.
During the 18th century, the surname appears to have spread beyond its northern English roots, with records showing individuals named Bequeaith residing in various parts of the country, including London and the southern counties.
It is important to note that the surname "BEQUEAITH" is relatively uncommon, and its historical significance is primarily rooted in its association with landowners, merchants, and individuals who made notable contributions to their local communities through their bequests and philanthropic efforts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bequeaith
Among Census respondents with the surname Bequeaith, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bequeaith 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 Bequeaith surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bequeaith
Bequeaith 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+17 bearers (+16.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,087 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-8 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,508 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.7%) | Up 8,087 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 8,508 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 Bequeaith 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 | #140,157 | #148,665 | -6.1% |
| Count | 119 | 111 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bequeaith bearers went from 119 to 111 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 8,508 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #148,665.
FAQ
Bequeaith surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bequeaith?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Bequeaith. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Bequeaith?
Bequeaith ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Bequeaith. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Bequeaith.
Has Bequeaith become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bequeaith went from 119 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Bequeaith?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bequeaith, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Bequeaith in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bequeaith appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Hispanic (2.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Bequeaith (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 Bequeaith mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "bequethen" meaning "to hand down by will or legacy." 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 Bequeaith (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 have the surname Bequeaith?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.