The Best surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 37,923 people carried this name — #911 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 7,780 people counted. That is up 3% from 36,862 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Best surname
From German Beste (“a river in Germany”) or from Anglo-Norman beste (“beast”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Best» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 21 births for the Best name in 1890.
Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Armagh and Tyrone.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 376 people named Best.
26 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 38 départements, most often Puy-de-Dôme.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
80 people named Best live in Switzerland.
They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 53 people named Best live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
35 people named Best have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 60 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 3 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Podlaskie.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
56 people named Best is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
In print
Best in American newspapers,
1853–1914.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 15,337,521 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Best,
with a public archive behind them.
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Rick Best d. 2017 · military personnel
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John Best d. 1560 · politician
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Gladys Dunlop Best d. 1933
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James Best d. 1782
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Elizabeth Mawdisty d. 1702
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John Best d. 1666
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Best.
- Bessa 253 · U.S. census
- Bessard 362 · U.S. census
- Besse 1,497 · U.S. census
- Bessette 4,469 · U.S. census
- Bessey 1,607 · U.S. census
- Besson 859 · U.S. census
- Bet 175 · U.S. census
- Betbeze 119 · U.S. census
- Beth 846 · U.S. census
- Bethe 190 · U.S. census
- Bethencourt 107 · U.S. census
- Bethune 3,447 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Best is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.