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

Beston, 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 Beston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beston in America

Beston is the 55962nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beston surname appeared 366 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 Beston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beston 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 Beston

The surname Beston is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, although its precise origins are somewhat uncertain. One theory suggests that it may be derived from an Old English or Anglo-Saxon word meaning "by the stone," potentially referring to someone who lived near a prominent rock or stone landmark.

Another possibility is that Beston is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of the name hailed from a specific place or region. In this case, it could be derived from the name of a now-lost or obscure village, hamlet, or geographical feature.

While the Beston surname does not appear to be explicitly mentioned in the Domesday Book, the seminal record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086, some early examples of similar spellings can be found in other historical documents from the 12th and 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Beston surname is that of Robert de Beston, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1195. The Pipe Rolls were a series of administrative records maintained by the English Exchequer, and they often provide valuable insights into the names and locations of individuals during that period.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Beston is recorded as having been a member of the Parliament of England, representing the borough of Southwark in 1340. His tenure as a Member of Parliament suggests that the Beston family had achieved a certain level of prominence and influence by that time.

Another individual of note bearing the Beston surname was William Beston, who was born in the late 15th century and served as the Mayor of Coventry in 1518. As a prominent civic leader in one of England's most significant medieval cities, William Beston's position underscores the family's continued social and political standing.

During the 16th century, the Beston surname is associated with several prominent figures in the Church of England. One such individual was John Beston, who was born in 1541 and later became the Dean of Carlisle Cathedral, a prestigious position within the Anglican clergy.

In the 17th century, a man named Thomas Beston gained recognition as a renowned mathematician and astronomer. Born in 1615, Beston made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a prestigious honor reflecting his scholarly achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beston

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

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

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

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