Find out how popular the last name Babb is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Babb.

Babb, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Babb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Babb in America

Babb is the 2820th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Babb surname appeared 12,794 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Babb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Babb to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Babb

The surname BABB has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "babba," meaning "father" or "ancestor." It was initially used as a nickname or patronymic, referring to the son or descendant of someone with that name.

The earliest recorded instances of the BABB surname can be found in various medieval records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1194, where a certain William Babb is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, compiled in 1279, also feature an entry for a man named John Babb.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties conducted in 1086 under the orders of William the Conquer, there are no direct mentions of the BABB surname. However, there are references to places with similar names, such as Babbingley in Norfolk, which may have contributed to the formation of the surname.

One of the earliest prominent individuals with the BABB surname was Sir John Babb (1470-1545), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, England. He served as Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1520 and played a significant role in the local community.

Another notable figure was Captain Thomas Babb (1617-1689), an English navigator and explorer who sailed to the West Indies and the Americas in the 17th century. He is credited with charting several islands and coastal regions in the Caribbean.

In the literary world, the poet and playwright Richard Babb (1763-1818) gained recognition for his works, including the play "The Bride of Abydos" and the poem "The Minstrel's Curse."

Moving into the 19th century, Mary Babb (1808-1892) was an influential educator and philanthropist from West Virginia. She founded the Woodburn Female Seminary, one of the earliest institutions of higher education for women in the region.

Lastly, Sir Walter Babb (1885-1962), a British civil engineer and public servant, made significant contributions to the development of infrastructure in India and other parts of the British Empire during the early 20th century.

Overall, the BABB surname has a rich history spanning several centuries, with roots in England and a diverse array of notable individuals who have carried the name throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Babb

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Babb.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Babb was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Babb has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Babb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Babb, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!