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

Beulah, 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 Beulah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beulah in America

Beulah is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beulah surname appeared 232 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 Beulah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beulah 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 Beulah

The surname Beulah originates from the Hebrew word "ba'alah," meaning "married" or "inhabited." It is believed to have first appeared in England during the 17th century, likely as a reference to the biblical land of Beulah mentioned in the book of Isaiah.

In early English records, the name was often spelled as "Bewley" or "Buley," reflecting the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Beulah can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where a baptism entry for "Elizabeth Bewley" was recorded in 1633.

The name Beulah gained further prominence after the publication of John Bunyan's allegorical work "The Pilgrim's Progress" in 1678. In the book, Beulah is described as a peaceful and delightful land, representing the Christian's state of rest and contentment before reaching the Celestial City. This literary reference may have contributed to the name's popularity among Puritans and other religious groups in England.

Notable individuals with the surname Beulah include Thomas Beulah (1640-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Bristol. Another early bearer of the name was Robert Beulah (1674-1752), a merchant and landowner in Virginia, who played a role in the establishment of Williamsburg.

In the 19th century, Sarah Beulah (1817-1896), an English philanthropist and social reformer, gained recognition for her work in improving the living conditions of the working class in Manchester. Her efforts led to the establishment of the Beulah Reformatory, a refuge for destitute women and children.

Other notable individuals with the surname Beulah include Walter Beulah (1828-1904), an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of San Francisco from 1873 to 1875, and Mary Beulah (1895-1978), a British artist and illustrator known for her contributions to children's literature.

While the surname Beulah has its roots in biblical and literary sources, it has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions throughout history, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of human experience.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beulah

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

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

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

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