2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Besu
Possibly an occupational surname referring to a basket maker or weaver.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Besu. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Besu 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Besu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Besu, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.7%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Besu
The surname BESU has its origins in northern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "beso," which means "twisted" or "crooked." This could suggest that the name was initially given to someone with a physical trait or characteristic that matched the description.
In the region of Lombardy, there are records of individuals with the surname BESU appearing in historical documents from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest mentions is found in a land registry from the town of Bergamo, where a certain Guglielmo BESU is listed as a landowner.
During the Renaissance period, the BESU name gained some prominence in the city of Milan. A notable figure was Antonio BESU (1450-1527), a skilled architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in the city. His work can still be admired in the intricate stonework and arches of some of Milan's most iconic buildings.
In the 17th century, the BESU family had established a presence in the nearby city of Brescia. Here, a branch of the family produced several notable scholars and academics. One such individual was Girolamo BESU (1620-1692), a renowned philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Padua.
Another distinguished member of the BESU lineage was Marcello BESU (1785-1856), a military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte's army during the Napoleonic Wars. He earned recognition for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield, eventually rising to the rank of general.
As the BESU family spread across northern Italy over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the name emerged. Some historical records show the surname written as "Beso," "Bezzu," or "Bezzi," reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.
While the BESU surname may not have attained widespread fame or notoriety, it has left its mark on the historical tapestry of northern Italy, woven into the fabric of various professions, from architecture and academia to military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Besu
Among Census respondents with the surname Besu, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.7%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Besu 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 Besu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino75.7% · 81
- White19.6% · 21
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Besu
Besu appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,441 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,441 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Besu 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 | #150,452 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Besu bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Besu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Besu?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Besu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Besu?
Besu ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Besu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Besu.
Has Besu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Besu went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Besu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Besu, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.7%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (1.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Besu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.7% (81 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Besu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (75.7%), White (19.6%), Black (1.9%). 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 Besu (2000, 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 Besu mean?
Possibly an occupational surname referring to a basket maker or weaver. 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 Besu (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 are called Besu?
Want to know how common the surname Besu is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.