Explore the Family Name Bentz
The meaning of Bentz
1. South German: variant of Benz and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). 2. Americanized or Germanized form of Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovenian, and Croatian Benc: from a Slavicized form of the German personal name Benz (compare above), or from a (German-influenced) pet form of a personal name derived from Latin Benedictus (see Benedict and Benko).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bentz in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bentz saw a slight decrease in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010, moving from rank 5514 to 5838, a change of -5.88%. Despite this drop in rank, the absolute count of individuals with the Bentz surname increased by 2.23% during the same period, growing from 5794 to 5923. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people in the population, there was a -6.51% reduction, decreasing from 2.15 in 2000 to 2.01 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,514 | #5,838 | -5.88% |
| Count | 5,794 | 5,923 | 2.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.15 | 2.01 | -6.51% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bentz
The ethnicity distribution of the Bentz surname also underwent changes from 2000 to 2010 based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those reporting two or more races increased by 24.00% and 51.16% respectively. The White ethnic identity, which made up the majority of individuals with the Bentz surname, experienced a slight decrease from 96.51% to 95.02%. There was a significant increase in individuals of Hispanic ethnicity, rising from 1.33% to 2.30%. Those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw minimal decreases of -4.17% and -3.23% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.51% | 95.02% | -1.54% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 2.3% | 72.93% |
| Two or More Races | 0.86% | 1.3% | 51.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.62% | 24% |
| Black | 0.48% | 0.46% | -4.17% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.3% | -3.23% |
Bentz 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 Bentz is French & German, which comprises 39.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.7%) and Eastern European (8.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 39.6% |
| British & Irish | 30.7% |
| Eastern European | 8.5% |
| Other | 21.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Bentz
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 Bentz have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 69.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 69.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 68.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 68.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 68.50% |
What Bentz 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 Bentz is R-P312, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P312 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Voigt, Brinkman, Heine, Meister, Holtz, Hofmann, Guenther, Schilling, Birch, Ernst.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bentz surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Bentz 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.
"Bentz" Surname 47.4%
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.
"Bentz" Surname 28.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bentz" Surname 28.8%
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.
"Bentz" Surname 28.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bentz?
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 Bentz are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition