Explore the Family Name Bei
The meaning of Bei
1. Italian (Bèi): regional variant of Belli. The name is found especially in Perugia province. 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 貝, meaning ‘cowrie’ or ‘shell’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Bei Qiu (貝丘), originally a fief (located in Hebei province) in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) simplified form of Bei (郥), the name of an ancient state (located in Shandong province). 3. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 秘 (also pronounced as Bi or Mi in Mandarin in some local regions), see Bi 3.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bei in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bei has seen a rise in popularity from the year 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Bei was ranked 83,004th and by 2010, it had climbed to 77,264th – an increase of nearly 7%. The count of individuals with this surname also shot up by 17.54% during the same period, from 211 to 248. Notably, the proportion per 100,000 people remained unchanged at 0.08.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #83,004 | #77,264 | 6.92% |
| Count | 211 | 248 | 17.54% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bei
In regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data divulges that there has been a notable shift among those bearing the surname Bei. There was an increase of 21.83% in the Asian/Pacific Islander category from 2000 to 2010, making 46.77% of those with the Bei surname identify as part of this group. However, there were reductions in other ethnic identities. Those identifying as White decreased by 9.35%, going from 50.71% in 2000 to 45.97% in 2010. The percentage of those reporting Hispanic ethnicity also dwindled significantly by 45.33%, dropping from 6.64% to 3.63%. There were no reported changes for individuals identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 38.39% | 46.77% | 21.83% |
| White | 50.71% | 45.97% | -9.35% |
| Hispanic | 6.64% | 3.63% | -45.33% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |