Byng is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Byng had a population of 1,393.

History

The beginnings of the town of Byng were established in 1917 with the building of a post office and power plant (about five miles north of Ada). The post office and power plant were named to honor the World War I exploits of British General Julian Byng who commanded the Canadian Corps and was later Governor General of Canada. The town was not formally formed until 1922 when the remains of two other communities were merged into Byng. Tyrola, about a mile north of Byng, was almost wiped out by a flooding of the South Canadian River in 1914. New Bethel, also approximately a mile north of present-day Byng, but lying east of Tyrola, had also been formed. The school at New Bethel and the school at Tyrola were combined to create New Bethel Consolidated Number 3 in 1925, and the name was changed to Byng in 1929. The town incorporated in 1972.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.

The town is on U.S. Route 377. Ada is to the south, while the town of Konawa, as well as Lake Konawa, are to the north-northwest.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Byng had a population of 1,393. The median age was 36.7 years. 28.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.5 males age 18 and over.

There were 495 households in Byng, of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.4% were married-couple households, 13.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 801 || 57.5%

|-

| Black or African American || 17 || 1.2%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 321 || 23.0%

|-

| Asian || 6 || 0.4%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 23 || 1.7%

|-

| Two or more races || 225 || 16.2%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 88 || 6.3%

|}

2000 census

As of the census

Notable people

  • Benjamin Harjo Jr. (Absentee Shawnee/Seminole), visual artist
  • Don Kaiser, baseball player

References

  • Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Byng