Benedict
A surname from the medieval personal name Benedict, meaning “blessed.”
The #2,130 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,123 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Benedict comes from the medieval given name Benedict, ultimately from Latin Benedictus, meaning “blessed.” In surname use, it usually began as a patronymic for “the son of Benedict,” or as a family name taken directly from the popular baptismal name. Medieval spellings and related forms often passed through Old French and Middle English, which is why the surname appears in many variant forms.
History
The name Benedict became especially common in medieval England through the influence of the Benedictine order and the cult of St. Benedict. Historical sources note that it generated many surname forms, including Bennet and related spellings, some of which became more common than Benedict itself. The surname is also found in French and other European traditions, sometimes entering English records through immigrant families or French-style spellings.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley notes that Benedict was one of the popular personal names of the surname era, and that several English surname families developed from it.
From the historical record
“TABERNER i = Tavernep, q.v. Benedict Taberner. — Hund. Rolls. 2 Tabour-Player [f. M.E. tahurn(e, a form ot O.Fr. tabourin (Fr. tambourin), a”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)