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

Besa, 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 Besa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Besa in America

Besa is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Besa surname appeared 291 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 Besa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Besa 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 Besa

The surname Besa has its origins in the Albanian language, originating from the region of modern-day Albania and neighboring areas in the Balkans during the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Albanian word "besë," which means "faith" or "pledge of honor."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Besa can be found in the Codex Studenica, a 14th-century manuscript from Serbia. It contains references to individuals bearing the name, indicating its usage during that time in the region.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various historical documents from the Ottoman Empire, as many Albanians served in the Ottoman military and administrative ranks. Notable figures from this era include Pjetër Besa (1470-1545), a prominent Albanian military commander who served under the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II.

During the 16th century, the surname Besa was also documented in the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik, Croatia), where many Albanian immigrants settled. One notable individual from this period was Andrija Besa (1520-1588), a merchant and diplomat who represented Ragusa in negotiations with the Ottoman Empire.

The name Besa has connections to various place names in Albania and the surrounding regions. For instance, the village of Besa in central Albania is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself, rather than the other way around.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname Besa, including:

1. Pjetër Besa (1470-1545), the Albanian military commander mentioned earlier.
2. Andrija Besa (1520-1588), the Ragusan merchant and diplomat.
3. Naim Besa (1846-1900), an Albanian poet and writer from the National Renaissance period.
4. Gjergj Besa (1870-1940), an Albanian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Finance.
5. Tomor Besa (1908-1980), an Albanian writer and journalist known for his works on Albanian folklore and traditions.

The surname Besa continues to be prevalent among Albanians and individuals of Albanian descent, carrying with it a rich historical and cultural significance rooted in the concept of honor and integrity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Besa

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!