2000
#9,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,259
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Binion
A French occupational surname for a grape-grower or wine merchant, derived from the Old French word "binion" meaning "vine."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,933 Americans carry the last name Binion. That puts it at #9,143 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Binion 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
3.9K
1 in 87,148
Census rank
#9,143
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,430 bearers of the surname Binion in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9143rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Binion, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.2%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Binion
The surname Binion has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "byne" and "tun," which collectively translate to "enclosure near a hill" or "hill settlement." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, possibly referring to an early Anglo-Saxon settlement located on or near a hill.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Binion can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various forms, such as "Byneton" and "Bynytun," indicating its presence in different regions of the country during the Norman era.
In the 13th century, records show the name appearing as "Binington" and "Bynyngton," further reflecting its evolution over time. These spellings are believed to be associated with specific locations, potentially indicating the areas where families bearing the name resided or originated from.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Binion was Sir John Binion (c. 1390-1453), a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his valor in battles against the French and served under King Henry V.
Another notable figure was Robert Binion (1532-1607), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He is known for his successful trading ventures and his involvement in the city's civic affairs.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records across England, with families bearing the surname Binion residing in counties such as Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire. One individual of note was Elizabeth Binion (1624-1691), a writer and poet whose works were published during the Restoration period.
Moving into the 18th century, the Binion family had established itself in different parts of England, with some members migrating to the American colonies. One such individual was William Binion (1721-1788), a farmer and landowner who settled in Virginia and played a role in the American Revolutionary War.
In the 19th century, the name Binion gained further prominence with individuals like Sir Joseph Binion (1823-1901), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the manufacturing sector and supported various charitable causes.
Throughout its history, the surname Binion has been associated with various professions, from military service and trade to literature and industry. While its exact place of origin remains uncertain, the name's longevity and widespread presence across different regions of England attest to its enduring legacy as a distinctive English surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Binion
Among Census respondents with the surname Binion, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.2%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Binion 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 Binion surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.2% · 1,686
- Black or African American41.6% · 1,426
- Two or more races5.4% · 184
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 107
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Binion
Binion 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
#9,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,581
+322 bearers (+9.9%)
Per 100,000 1.21
Rank movement Up 86 places
2020
#9,143
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,430
-151 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 24 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,205 | 3,259 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,119 | 3,581 | 1.21 | +322 bearers (+9.9%) | Up 86 places |
| 2020 | #9,143 | 3,430 | 1.15 | -151 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 24 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 Binion 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 | #9,119 | #9,143 | -0.3% |
| Count | 3,581 | 3,430 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.21 | 1.15 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Binion bearers went from 3,581 to 3,430 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 24 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,119 to #9,143.
FAQ
Binion surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Binion?
Name Census estimates that about 3,933 living Americans carry the surname Binion. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,148 residents.
How common is Binion?
Binion ranks #9,143 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.15 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 3,430 people with the surname Binion. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,933), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.15 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 Binion.
Has Binion become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Binion went from 3,581 recorded bearers to 3,430. That is a decrease of 151 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,119 to #9,143.
What does the Census say about the background of Binion?
Among Census respondents with the surname Binion, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.2%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (5.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Binion in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.2% (1,686 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Binion appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.2%), Black (41.6%), Two or More Races (5.4%). 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 Binion (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 Binion mean?
A French occupational surname for a grape-grower or wine merchant, derived from the Old French word "binion" meaning "vine." 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 Binion (1.15 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 Binion?
You can see how many people have the last name Binion on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.