Explore the Family Name Bennet
The meaning of Bennet
1. English: variant of Bennett 1. 2. French: derivative of Benne. 3. Altered form of French Benet. Compare Bennett 3. History: This surname (see 3 above) is listed along with its original form Benet in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors. It is Willem Adriaense Benet, a son of a Frenchman Adrien Benet, who is recognized as a Huguenot ancestor. He was in New Amsterdam in New Netherland (now New York City, NY) by 1636, when he married Mary(tje) Thomas Verdon (a widow, née Badye). The altered form of the surname Benet was first used after his death.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bennet in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bennet experienced a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Bennet was ranked 8,008 in terms of popularity, but dropped to 9,237 by 2010, showing a change of -15.35%. The count of individuals with the Bennet surname also decreased from 3,822 to 3,523 during the same period, indicating a -7.82% shift. The proportion of Bennets per 100k people similarly went down from 1.42 to 1.19, marking a -16.2% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,008 | #9,237 | -15.35% |
| Count | 3,822 | 3,523 | -7.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.42 | 1.19 | -16.2% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bennet
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting patterns for the Bennet surname. From 2000 to 2010, there was a significant 129.49% increase in American Indian and Alaskan Native identity, though they still represented a small proportion of all Bennets. Asian/Pacific Islander identity representation within the Bennet surname increased by 52.31%, while people identifying as two or more races saw a 24.84% rise. White identity remained relatively constant at around 71%, with a minute 0.13% increase. Meanwhile, Hispanic representation among Bennets grew by 9.09%. There was however a decrease in Black identity, dropping from 22.06% to 19.93% over the ten-year span.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.64% | 71.73% | 0.13% |
| Black | 22.06% | 19.93% | -9.66% |
| Hispanic | 3.3% | 3.6% | 9.09% |
| Two or More Races | 1.57% | 1.96% | 24.84% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.78% | 1.79% | 129.49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.65% | 0.99% | 52.31% |