Explore the Family Name Benally

The meaning of Benally

Native American (Navajo): from an American English shortened and altered form of a Navajo personal name based on the word binálí ‘his grandchild’, which was mistakenly understood by whites to be a surname (see Begay).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Benally in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Benally has shown an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, this surname was ranked 6,240th in the United States, and by 2010, it had moved up to the 6,155th position, marking a positive change of 1.36%. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 5,042 in 2000 to 5,562 in 2010, suggesting a growth rate of 10.31%. This indicates that the proportion of the population with this surname per 100k people slightly increased from 1.87 in 2000 to 1.89 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#6,240#6,1551.36%
Count5,0425,56210.31%
Proportion per 100k1.871.891.07%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Benally

When exploring the ethnicity associated with the surname Benally, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that it is predominantly linked to American Indian and Alaskan Native identity. In 2000, approximately 95.99% of individuals with this surname identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native, although this decreased slightly to 94.30% in 2010. The data also shows substantial increases in those identifying as Hispanic, from 1.15% in 2000 to 2.32% in 2010, which is a significant growth rate of 101.74%. Additionally, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races rose from 1.23% to 1.71%, while those identifying as white increased from 1.43% to 1.60%. No individuals with the surname Benally identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or Black in either year.

20002010Change
American Indian and Alaskan Native95.99%94.3%-1.76%
Hispanic1.15%2.32%101.74%
Two or More Races1.23%1.71%39.02%
White1.43%1.6%11.89%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%