Explore the Family Name Below
The meaning of Below
1. German: habitational name from any of the three places in Mecklenburg named Below. 2. English: variant of Bellow. This surname is now rare in Britain. 3. Altered form of Jewish (from Belarus and Ukraine), Russian, and Belorussian Belov. Compare Bellow and Beloff.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Below in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Below' has experienced a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 21,307th and held by 1,146 individuals, but by 2010, its rank had slipped to 23,397th and was held by 1,087 individuals, representing a decrease of 5.15%. This shift in ranking indicates that fewer people carried the 'Below' surname in 2010 compared to 2000, with its proportion per 100k dropping by 11.9%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,307 | #23,397 | -9.81% |
| Count | 1,146 | 1,087 | -5.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.42 | 0.37 | -11.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Below
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals several interesting trends for the 'Below' surname from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of those identifying as White decreased from 82.90% to 79.94%, while those identifying as Black saw an increase from 12.22% to 14.90%. The Hispanic representation also increased slightly from 2.18% to 2.48%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races increased by 11.46%. Data for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, however, was suppressed for privacy in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.9% | 79.94% | -3.57% |
| Black | 12.22% | 14.9% | 21.93% |
| Hispanic | 2.18% | 2.48% | 13.76% |
| Two or More Races | 1.57% | 1.75% | 11.46% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.44% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.7% | 0% | 0% |