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

Beyene, 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 Beyene surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beyene in America

Beyene is the 22673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beyene surname appeared 1,131 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 Beyene.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beyene 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 Beyene

The surname BEYENE has its origins in Ethiopia, tracing back to the 15th century or earlier. It is derived from the Amharic language, spoken in the northern and central regions of the country. The name is believed to be a variation of the word "bey" or "bey-ena," which means "to multiply" or "to increase."

This surname was particularly prominent among the Amhara people, an ethnic group that historically dominated the Ethiopian highlands. It is likely that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals or families known for their prosperity, fertility, or expansive lineages.

In the 16th century, during the reign of the Solomonic dynasty, records mention individuals bearing the BEYENE name as landowners and nobles within the imperial court. One notable figure was Abba Beyene, a influential churchman and advisor to Emperor Zara Yaqob (1434-1468).

The earliest known written reference to the BEYENE surname can be found in the chronicles of the 17th-century Ethiopian philosopher and historian, Alaqa Tawalda Madhin. He documented the exploits of a military commander named Gera Beyene, who played a crucial role in the battles against the Ottoman-backed forces invading the region.

In the 19th century, during the era of the Zemene Mesafint ("Era of Princes"), the BEYENE name was associated with several prominent figures. Ras Beyene Gassahu (1796-1853) was a powerful warlord and ruler of the Yejju province, while Dejjazmach Beyene Gebre (1825-1892) was a renowned military leader and governor of the Wollo region.

Another noteworthy individual was Blatta Beyene Petros (1855-1936), a renowned Ethiopian intellectual, author, and translator who played a significant role in the country's cultural and literary renaissance during the reign of Emperor Menelik II.

In more recent times, the BEYENE surname has been carried by notable individuals such as Dejazmatch Beyene Merid (1897-1971), a respected military leader and governor who served under Emperor Haile Selassie, and Mammo Beyene (1926-2005), a renowned Ethiopian artist and sculptor whose works celebrated the country's cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beyene

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

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

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

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