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

Buen, 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 Buen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buen in America

Buen is the 62531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buen surname appeared 320 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 Buen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buen 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 Buen

The surname "BUEN" originates from Spain, and its roots can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "bueno," which means "good" or "excellent." The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Buen" or "Buen de," indicating a place of origin or a descriptive epithet.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing this surname was Pedro Buen, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Seville during the 13th century. Records from that time show that he owned several properties in the region and was actively involved in trade with other parts of the Mediterranean.

In the 14th century, the name appears in several historical documents related to the Spanish Reconquista, the centuries-long period of conflict between Christian and Moorish rulers. One notable figure was Diego Buen, a soldier who fought alongside King Alfonso XI of Castile in the Battle of Rio Salado in 1340, where the Christian forces achieved a decisive victory over the Moorish armies.

During the 15th century, the name "Buen" was associated with several noble families in various parts of Spain. One such family was the Buen de Guzman, who held lands and titles in the region of Andalusia. Rodrigo Buen de Guzman, born in 1456, was a respected military leader and diplomat who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile.

In the 16th century, the name "Buen" gained prominence in the New World as Spanish explorers and settlers began to establish colonies in the Americas. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Juan Buen de Nava, a Spanish conquistador who played a significant role in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He was born in 1492 in Extremadura, Spain, and died in 1562 in Mexico City.

Another notable figure from this period was Beatriz Buen de Mancera, a Spanish noblewoman born in 1534 in Seville. She was renowned for her philanthropic work and founded several hospitals and orphanages in Spain and its colonies, earning her the title of "Mother of the Poor."

Throughout the following centuries, the "Buen" surname continued to be associated with prominent individuals in various fields, including politics, military, arts, and literature. Some examples include Miguel Buen y Ferrer (1804-1876), a Spanish politician and writer; Emilio Buen y del Cos (1863-1926), a renowned Spanish biologist and oceanographer; and Odón Buen (1863-1945), a celebrated Spanish painter and illustrator.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buen

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

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

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

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