Explore the Family Name Benham
The meaning of Benham
English: habitational name from Beenham, and perhaps also from Marsh Benham and Hoe Benham (all in Berkshire), or from Benhams in Horsham in Sussex. History: John Benham was one of the free planters who assented to the ‘Fundamental Agreement’ of the New Haven Colony on June 4, 1639.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Benham in the United States?
The surname Benham, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a slight decline in popularity over the last decade. In 2000, it was ranked 6,420th most popular surname in the United States, but dropped to 6,807th by 2010, reflecting a decrease of 6.03%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Benham surname increased from 4,883 in 2000 to 4,955 in 2010, showing a modest growth of 1.47%. However, when compared to the overall population, the proportion of individuals named Benham per 100,000 people dipped from 1.81 in 2000 to 1.68 in 2010, indicating a decrease of 7.18%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,420 | #6,807 | -6.03% |
| Count | 4,883 | 4,955 | 1.47% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.81 | 1.68 | -7.18% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Benham
When looking at the ethnicity associated with the surname Benham, as per the Decennial U.S. Census data, there's a noticeable change over the 10-year period. The majority of those bearing the Benham surname identified as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 92.40% in 2000 to 91.06% in 2010. During the same period, there was a significant increase in the number of individuals identifying as having two or more races (from 1.25% to 1.72%), Hispanic (from 1.35% to 1.94%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.80% to 1.03%). There were also minor fluctuations in the Asian/Pacific Islander and Black categories. It should be noted that these shifts in ethnic identity among those with the Benham surname reflect broader demographic trends within the United States.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.4% | 91.06% | -1.45% |
| Black | 3.65% | 3.71% | 1.64% |
| Hispanic | 1.35% | 1.94% | 43.7% |
| Two or More Races | 1.25% | 1.72% | 37.6% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.8% | 1.03% | 28.75% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0.54% | -1.82% |
Benham ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Benham is British & Irish, which comprises 52.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.9%) and Scandinavian (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.8% |
| French & German | 25.9% |
| Scandinavian | 4.7% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Benham
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Benham have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.10% |
What Benham haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Benham is R-MC21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-MC21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L1066.1 and R-Z30, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Loveland, South, Finney, Christian, Redding, Pearce, Cooper, Wheeler, Christy, Shields.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Benham surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Benham have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Benham" Surname 48.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Benham" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Benham" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Benham" Surname 20.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Benham?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Benham are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition