Surname Bence - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Bence: What does the surname Bence mean?
The surname Bence is of British origin and derives from the Old English medieval personal name, Bence, which is a short form of Benedict. The name Benedict itself originates from the Latin "Benedictus" meaning "blessed" or "one who is blessed". Therefore, the surname Bence can somewhat be interpreted to mean 'blessed' or 'one who is blessed'. The surname is common in England and it was first recorded in the 12th century. It is important to note that surnames can have multiple origins and meanings, and they can change based on regions and languages. Hence, the meaning offered here is one of the possibilities and not necessarily the only interpretation.
Order DNA origin analysisBence: Where does the name Bence come from?
The last name Bence is most commonly found in central and eastern Europe. It is believed to be of Hungarian origin, though is also found in Slovakia and other nearby nations. According to the U.S. census, the surname is most prevalent in Hungary, followed by Slovakia, Romania, and the United States.
In the United States, the 2000 census found that the surname Bence had a population concentration in Michigan, followed by Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, and Texas. However, it is likely to be found in other parts of the country. There is also evidence of Bences in Australia and Canada.
The surname is quite unusual and rare, but is still present and popular among certain European populations in the 21st century. In other parts of the world, it is largely only found amongst those whose ancestors emigrated from these countries in earlier centuries. It is worth noting that some people with the last name of Bence may have shortened their family name from its original form. For example, there are some people in the United States identified as 'Bentz', which is thought to be a variation of the surname Bence.
Variations of the surname Bence
The surname Bence is of English origin. It can also be spelled as Bencke, Bennet, Bents, Bennetts or Bennit. It is thought to be derived from an Anglo-Norman family name, which was derived from 'benedictusnummer' meaning 'blessed'.
The name Bence originated as a patronymic surname, which means it was derived from the personal name of the father of the original bearer of the surname. It was used to identify the son of someone named Bennet or Bent.
Variants of the surname Bence include Bencke, Bennet, Bents, Bennetts and Bennit. Bencke is a German spelling variant of the surname, whilst Bennet and Bennitt are anglicised versions most commonly found in Britain and Ireland. Bents is a variant believed to be the original middle-English spelling of the name and was found mainly in Britain and Ireland, before the anglicised variants became more common.
The surname Bennetts is also of British origin, and is thought to be derived from the personal name ‘Bennet’ plus the Anglo-Norman diminutive suffix ‘-et’, meaning ‘little Bennet’.
The name Bence has also become popular in various other countries such as the United States and Canada, and can often be found spelled as Bengs. This variant is believed to be of German origin and derived from ‘benge’, meaning ‘bent’ or ‘curved’.
The surname Bence is also found in various other countries, from Spain to Russia, in many different spellings. In some parts of Scandinavia, it is common to find it spelled as ‘Bengtson’, while in Poland it is seen as ‘Bentkowski’.
In summary, the surname Bence can be spelled in many different ways, and all variants are derived from the same Anglo-Norman personal name ‘Benedictnummer’, meaning blessed.
Famous people with the name Bence
- Ben Bence: Canadian musician and songwriter
- Jakob Bence: British actor and theatre producer
- Thomas Bence: British actor best known for his role in BBC's 'Peaky Blinders'
- Mike Bence: American curler and US National Champion
- Margit Bence: Hungarian gymnast and Olympic medalist
- Gabriella Bence: Mexican-American journalist for NBC News
- Sharon Bence: Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics
- John Bence: British filmmaker and founder of Zapruder Group
- Anthony Bence: American professional basketball player
- Brian Bence: English football player who made over 700 appearances
- Alex Bence: British Olympic track athlete
- Leslie Bence: British diver specializing in the one-meter platform
- David Bence: British professional triathlete
- Tom Bence: British actor and photojournalist
- Nicole Bence: Italian surgeon and lecturer at Stanford University
- Victoria Bence: Canadian acrobat specializing in aerial silk
- Lynn Bence: Canadian women's ice hockey player
- Jared Bence: Australian actor and director
- Bruno Bence: French sculptor
- Adele Bence: American author and health coach