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

Besaw, 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 Besaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Besaw in America

Besaw is the 15183rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Besaw surname appeared 1,940 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Besaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Besaw 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 Besaw

The surname BESAW has its origins in France and can be traced back to the early 17th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "beau" meaning "beautiful" and "sau" meaning "willow tree". This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a particularly beautiful willow tree or a location with an abundance of willow trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BESAW name appears in a French parish record from the year 1642, where a person named Jean BESAW is listed as a resident of a small village in the Normandy region. The name is also found in various other historical documents from the same period, often with variations in spelling such as Beso, Besault, and Beseau.

In the mid-18th century, a family with the BESAW surname is recorded as having migrated from France to the British colonies in North America, settling in the area that is now known as Quebec, Canada. This branch of the BESAW family played a significant role in the early development of the region, with several members being listed as landowners and prominent citizens.

One notable individual with the BESAW surname was Jacques BESAW (1725-1798), a French-Canadian farmer and militia captain who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was awarded a land grant in recognition of his service and went on to establish a successful farming community in the region.

Another historical figure was Marie-Josephte BESAW (1790-1865), a French-Canadian woman who became known for her philanthropic work and her efforts to establish schools and orphanages in her community. She is remembered as a influential figure in the region's social and educational development.

In the 19th century, the BESAW name began to appear in various parts of the United States, as descendants of the original French settlers migrated westward. One prominent example is William BESAW (1832-1912), a businessman and landowner from Wisconsin who played a significant role in the development of the lumber industry in the region.

Throughout its history, the BESAW surname has also been associated with various place names and locations. For instance, there is a small village called Besaw in the Normandy region of France, which may have been the original homeland of the family. Additionally, there are several streets and neighborhoods named after the BESAW family in various cities in North America, reflecting their historical significance in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Besaw

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

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

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

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