Beneš (feminine Benešová) is common Czech and Slovak surname. The surname was derived from the shortened Czech form of the given name Benedict (Latin name of meaning "blessed", see also the surname Benedict). In the old Czech orthography the word was written as Beness, the Germanized form is Benesch.

What nationality is Benes?

Edvard Beneš, (born May 28, 1884, Kozlany, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary [now in Czech Republic]—died September 3, 1948, Sezimovo Ústí, Czechoslovakia [now in Czech Republic]), statesman, foreign minister, and president, a founder of modern Czechoslovakia who forged its Western-oriented foreign policy between World Wars I ...

Is bene a German name?

Italian: from the personal name Bene, an omen name meaning 'well', 'good', or a short form of the various compound omen names beginning with this element, such as Benvenuto (meaning 'welcome') and Benenato ('well born'). German: from a short form of Beneke.