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

Besst, 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 Besst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Besst in America

Besst is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Besst surname appeared 148 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 Besst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Besst 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 Besst

The surname "BESST" is believed to have originated from England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Yorkshire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "best," which referred to a specific plant, potentially a type of grass or reed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "BESST" can be found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1343, where a John Beste is mentioned. This document was a record of legal agreements and land transactions in the county, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the area by that time.

In the 15th century, the "BESST" name appears in various records across Yorkshire, including the Yorkshire Chantry Surveys of 1546, which listed a William Beste as a chantry priest in the parish of Skipton.

During the Tudor period, the name "BESST" gained prominence with the birth of George Beste (1515-1584), a renowned author and translator. He is best known for his translation of the Italian work "Il Governo della Famiglia" by Agnolo Firenzuola, which he published in 1588 under the title "The Housholders Philosophie."

Another notable figure with the surname "BESST" was John Beste (1600-1639), a English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, from 1629 until his death.

In the 18th century, the "BESST" name made its mark in the literary world with the birth of Henry Digby Beste (1768-1836), an English poet and writer. He is remembered for his work "The Walsingam Guide," published in 1818, which chronicled the history and attractions of the town of Walsingham.

As the surname "BESST" spread across England, it also found its way into various place names, such as Beste Beech in Derbyshire and Beste Hill in Shropshire, further solidifying its presence in the landscape.

It is worth noting that while the "BESST" surname is relatively rare, it has been carried by several individuals who have left their mark on various fields throughout history, from literature and academia to religious and cultural spheres.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Besst

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

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

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

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