2000
#18,947
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,332
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Bienaime
A French surname meaning "well-loved" or "beloved," likely referring to a favored person or a family characteristic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,387 Americans carry the last name Bienaime. That puts it at #10,371 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,197 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bienaime 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
3.4K
1 in 101,197
Census rank
#10,371
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,954 bearers of the surname Bienaime in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10371st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bienaime, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bienaime
The surname BIENAIME originates from France and is derived from the French phrase "bien aimé", meaning "well-loved" or "beloved". This name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when French surnames began to take shape.
The earliest recorded instances of the BIENAIME surname can be traced back to the Normandy region of northern France, where it was first documented in the 12th century. During this time, it was sometimes spelled as "Bienaymé" or "Bienamé".
In the 13th century, records show that a noble family bearing the BIENAIME name held lands and titles in the village of Bienaime, located near the town of Evreux in Normandy. This suggests that the surname may have originated as a toponymic name, derived from a place name.
One of the earliest known individuals with the BIENAIME surname was Jean BIENAIME, a French scholar and theologian who lived in the late 14th century. Born in Paris around 1350, he was known for his writings on ecclesiastical law and canon law.
In the 16th century, the BIENAIME name appeared in historical records related to the French Wars of Religion. Pierre BIENAIME, born in 1520, was a Protestant nobleman who fought alongside the Huguenots during this turbulent period.
During the 17th century, the BIENAIME family played a prominent role in the cultural and intellectual life of France. Jacques BIENAIME (1612-1687) was a renowned philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of optics.
In the 18th century, the BIENAIME surname gained prominence in the French military. Louis BIENAIME (1735-1809) was a distinguished general who served under Napoleon Bonaparte and played a crucial role in several important battles, including the Battle of Austerlitz.
Another notable figure with the BIENAIME surname was Marie BIENAIME (1789-1865), a French writer and feminist who advocated for women's education and rights during the 19th century.
Throughout history, variations of the BIENAIME surname have been found in different regions of France, including BIENAMÉ, BIENAIMÉ, and BIENAIMÉE. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, reflecting its deep-rooted connection to the French language and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bienaime
Among Census respondents with the surname Bienaime, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bienaime 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 Bienaime surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.4% · 2,729
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 90
- Two or more races2.5% · 73
- White1.7% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bienaime
Bienaime 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
#13,376
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,277
+945 bearers (+70.9%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Up 5,571 places
2020
#10,371
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,954
+677 bearers (+29.7%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Up 3,005 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,947 | 1,332 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,376 | 2,277 | 0.77 | +945 bearers (+70.9%) | Up 5,571 places |
| 2020 | #10,371 | 2,954 | 0.99 | +677 bearers (+29.7%) | Up 3,005 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 Bienaime 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 | #13,376 | #10,371 | 22.5% |
| Count | 2,277 | 2,954 | 29.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.77 | 0.99 | 28.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bienaime bearers went from 2,277 to 2,954 (+29.7% change). The surname moved up 3,005 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,376 to #10,371.
FAQ
Bienaime surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bienaime?
Name Census estimates that about 3,387 living Americans carry the surname Bienaime. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,197 residents.
How common is Bienaime?
Bienaime ranks #10,371 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,954 people with the surname Bienaime. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,387), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bienaime.
Has Bienaime become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bienaime went from 2,277 recorded bearers to 2,954. That is an increase of 677 (+29.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,376 to #10,371.
What does the Census say about the background of Bienaime?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bienaime, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Bienaime in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (2,729 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bienaime appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.4%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Bienaime (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 Bienaime mean?
A French surname meaning "well-loved" or "beloved," likely referring to a favored person or a family characteristic. 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 Bienaime (0.99 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 share the surname Bienaime?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.