2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bettie
A surname derived from a feminine diminutive form of Elizabeth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Bettie. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bettie 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bettie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Bettie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bettie
The surname BETTIE is of English origin, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bett," which means "to make better or to repair." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who worked as builders, carpenters, or craftsmen responsible for repairing or improving structures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BETTIE can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a certain "Radulfus Bettie" in the county of Essex, indicating the presence of the name in the late 11th century.
During the 13th century, the name BETTIE appeared in various records, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Hundred Rolls. These records document individuals with the surname BETTIE residing in counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. The name was often associated with specific locations, as evidenced by references to places like "Bettie's Farm" or "Bettie's Manor."
One notable figure bearing the surname BETTIE was Sir John Bettie (c. 1350-1415), a wealthy landowner and prominent member of the gentry in Warwickshire. He served as a Knight of the Shire for Warwickshire in the Parliament of 1397 and played an influential role in local affairs during the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
Another individual of historical significance was William Bettie (1602-1667), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, from 1639 until his death. He was a respected scholar and theologian, known for his contributions to the field of divinity.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the playwright and poet Thomas Bettie (1635-1700), who was born in Westmorland and is best known for his satirical works and contributions to the Restoration comedy genre.
The BETTIE surname also found its way into the world of exploration and colonization. Captain John Bettie (1670-1732) was an English naval officer and explorer who commanded several voyages to the West Indies and the Caribbean in the early 18th century, contributing to the expansion of British colonial interests in the region.
Another notable figure was Sir Edward Bettie (1780-1856), a British diplomat and politician who served as the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1816 to 1824. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in shaping relations between Britain and the Ottoman Empire during a pivotal period in history.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the surname BETTIE throughout history, spanning various fields and time periods. The name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely referred to individuals involved in building and craftsmanship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bettie
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bettie 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 Bettie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American54.8% · 57
- White42.3% · 44
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bettie
Bettie 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-15 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,464 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,317 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 24,464 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 1,317 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 Bettie 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 | #154,907 | #153,590 | 0.9% |
| Count | 105 | 104 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bettie bearers went from 105 to 104 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 1,317 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #153,590.
FAQ
Bettie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bettie?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Bettie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Bettie?
Bettie ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Bettie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Bettie.
Has Bettie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bettie went from 105 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Bettie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.3%) and Two or More Races (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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bettie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 54.8% (57 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bettie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (54.8%), White (42.3%), Two or More Races (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 Bettie (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 Bettie mean?
A surname derived from a feminine diminutive form of Elizabeth. 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 Bettie (0.03 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 Bettie?
Find out how many people have the last name Bettie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.