Benedict History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Germany

Etymology of Benedict

What does the name Benedict mean?

The Benedict surname is thought to be derived from the Latin personal name Benedictus, a name that meant "blessed."

Early Origins of the Benedict family

The surname Benedict was first found in Westphalia, where the family played a large role in the tribal conflicts of the area, and would later contribute greatly to the development of an emerging nation. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Benedict family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Benedict research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1525 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Benedict History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Benedict Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Benedict include Benditt, Bendett, Bendict, Benditte, Bendette, Bendet, Benedikt and many more.

Early Notables of the Benedict family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Benedict Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Benedict Ranking

In the United States, the name Benedict is the 2,062^nd most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1

Benedict migration to the United States +

After 1650, thousands of German settlers came to North America to escape the religious persecution and poverty that wracked Europe and to make the most of the opportunity to own their own land in a new country. They settled across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, and in Canada in Ontario and on the fertile plains of the prairie provinces. Among them:

Benedict Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Simon Benedict who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732
Dietrich Benedict, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Peter Benedict, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
Thomas Benedict, who landed in Long Island in 1781 2

Benedict Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jose Otemy Benedict, aged 45, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1822 2
Russel Benedict who arrived in New Orleans in 1823
J Benedict, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
A S Benedict, who landed in San Francisco California in 1851 2
Collin Benedict, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Benedict migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Benedict Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mrs. Elizabeth Benedict U.E. born in Danbury, Connecticut, USA who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 3
Mr. Ezra Benedict U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 3
Mr. John Benedict U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 3
Mr. Joseph Benedict U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 3

Benedict Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Amze L Benedict, who arrived in Canada in 1830
Smith Benedict, who arrived in Canada in 1831

Contemporary Notables of the name Benedict (post 1700) +

Nick Benedict (1946-2023), born Nicholas Joseph Sciurba, an American Daytime Emmy Award nominated actor and musician, best known for his roles on daytime soap operas and television films
Paul King Benedict (1912-1997), American anthropologist, mental health professional, and linguist who specialized in languages of East and Southeast Asia
Paul Benedict (1938-2008), American actor, best known for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS children's show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.
Elizabeth Benedict (b. 1954), American author best known for her fiction, her personal essays, as the editor of three anthologies
Jay Benedict (1951-2020), American actor, best known for his roles in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Double Team (1997) and The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013); he died of COVID-19
Dirk Benedict (b. 1945), American actor, best known for his role in The A-Team (2010) and The A-Team (1983-1987)
Charles Benedict (b. 1937), American Olympic gold medalist for shooting at the 1908 games
Major-General Jay Leland Benedict (1882-1953), American President of War Department Dependency Board (1942-1946) 4
Bruce Benedict (b. 1955), American Major League Baseball player
Ruth Fulton Benedict (1887-1948), American anthropologist, best known for her study of Native American and Japanese cultures
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Jay Benedict. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Benedict/Jay_Leland/USA.html