Explore the Family Name Beg
The meaning of Beg
1. Muslim (mainly the Indian subcontinent) and Croatian: from the Ottoman Turkish title beg, an older form of bey, denoting a rank of nobility (see Bey) and widely used as a title of respect for a man (in some parts of Croatia formerly also among Christians). As a Croatian surname it may also be a nickname of the same or different origin (see 2 below). Compare Baig. 2. Slovenian: probably from beg ‘escape, getaway’, denoting a refugee from the Turks (i.e. the Ottoman Empire) in the 15th and 16th centuries (see Turk, compare Skok). Alternatively, a nickname from the Ottoman Turkish title beg (see 1 above). Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Khalid, Faisal, Gulam, Humayun, Islam, Anjum, Anwar, Anwer, Azam, Azeez, Azim, Babar.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Beg in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Beg has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 41,203 but jumped to 36,099 by 2010, marking a 12.39% increase. The count of individuals with this surname also saw an upward trend, going from 499 in 2000 to 621 in 2010, a significant 24.45% surge. Consequently, the proportion of people named Beg per 100,000 also increased by 16.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,203 | #36,099 | 12.39% |
| Count | 499 | 621 | 24.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.21 | 16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Beg
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the surname Beg is most commonly associated with people of Asian/Pacific Islander descent, with an increase from 65.93% in 2000 to 71.82% in 2010. However, there was a notable decrease of 55.34% in the category of those identifying as two or more races, from 12.63% in 2000 to 5.64% in 2010. The percentage of White people with the surname Beg slightly decreased by 3.22%, while Black representation experienced a substantial growth of 69.00%, albeit from a smaller base of 2.00% in 2000 to 3.38% in 2010. No changes were recorded for Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native identities.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 65.93% | 71.82% | 8.93% |
| White | 18.64% | 18.04% | -3.22% |
| Two or More Races | 12.63% | 5.64% | -55.34% |
| Black | 2% | 3.38% | 69% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |