2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Beslow
A surname derived from a geographic location or topographic feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Beslow. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beslow 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Beslow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beslow, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.0%. The next largest groups are Black (39.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beslow
The surname Beslow originates from the region of Yorkshire in northern England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bes" and "hlaw," meaning "bent hill" or "crooked hill," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or on a distinctively shaped hill or mound.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with similar names, such as "Beschelou" and "Beschelai," which could be related to the origins of the Beslow surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Beslow can be found in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1297, where a certain Richard Beslow is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Beslow, which was likely named after the family.
Throughout the centuries, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Beslogh, Beslowe, and Beslawe, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames during the Middle Ages and the influence of local dialects.
Notable individuals with the surname Beslow include:
1. William Beslow (c. 1560-1635), an English merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the wool trade during the Elizabethan era.
2. Robert Beslow (1625-1701), a prominent Puritan minister and author from Suffolk, known for his religious writings and sermons.
3. Elizabeth Beslow (1670-1742), a philanthropist and benefactor from Berkshire, who endowed several schools and charitable institutions in her lifetime.
4. John Beslow (1708-1779), a British military officer who served in the Seven Years' War and attained the rank of Colonel.
5. Thomas Beslow (1785-1862), a civil engineer and surveyor from Lancashire, who oversaw the construction of several canals and railways during the Industrial Revolution.
It is worth noting that while the surname Beslow is relatively uncommon today, it maintains a strong connection to its historical roots in Yorkshire and the surrounding regions of northern England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beslow
Among Census respondents with the surname Beslow, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.0%. The next largest groups are Black (39.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Beslow 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 Beslow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White54.0% · 61
- Black or African American39.8% · 45
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beslow
Beslow appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+13 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,754 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 13,754 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 Beslow 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 | #160,975 | #147,221 | 8.5% |
| Count | 100 | 113 | 13.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 26.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beslow bearers went from 100 to 113 (+13.0% change). The surname moved up 13,754 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #147,221.
FAQ
Beslow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beslow?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Beslow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Beslow?
Beslow ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Beslow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Beslow.
Has Beslow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beslow went from 100 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 13 (+13.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Beslow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beslow, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.0%. The next largest groups are Black (39.8%) and Hispanic (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 Beslow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 54.0% (61 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beslow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (54.0%), Black (39.8%), Hispanic (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 Beslow (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 Beslow mean?
A surname derived from a geographic location or topographic feature. 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 Beslow (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 share the surname Beslow?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.