Explore the Family Name Bentsen
The meaning of Bentsen
Danish, Norwegian, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Bengt, Ben(d)t, short forms of Benedikt (see Benedict). In North America, this surname is also an altered form of Danish variant Bendtsen and possibly also of Norwegian and Danish Bengtsen. Compare Bensen 2, Benson 3, and Bentson. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Bent, Per. German Kurt, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bentsen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bentsen has seen a slight decline in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 35,994th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to position 36,736, marking a decrease of 2.06%. However, despite this dip in rank, the actual count of people with the Bentsen surname increased from 589 to 608 during this period, an increase of 3.23%. The proportion per 100,000 people also dropped slightly from 0.22 to 0.21, decreasing by 4.55%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #35,994 | #36,736 | -2.06% |
| Count | 589 | 608 | 3.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.22 | 0.21 | -4.55% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bentsen
In terms of ethnic identity, the Bentsen surname is predominantly associated with individuals who identify as white, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, 94.91% of Bentsens identified as white, and this figure marginally increased to 95.07% by 2010. An interesting development came in the form of individuals identifying with two or more races, which saw a significant increase from 1.19% to 2.30%, marking a change of 93.28%. The count of individuals identifying as Hispanic showed a decrease from 3.23% to 1.97%, a drop of 39.01%. Notably, there were no recorded individuals with the Bentsen surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.91% | 95.07% | 0.17% |
| Two or More Races | 1.19% | 2.3% | 93.28% |
| Hispanic | 3.23% | 1.97% | -39.01% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |