2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Babbar
A surname of Indian origin meaning lion or tiger.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 345 Americans carry the last name Babbar. That puts it at #70,147 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 993,491 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Babbar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Babbar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
345
1 in 993,491
Census rank
#70,147
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
301
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 301 bearers of the surname Babbar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70147th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Babbar
The surname "BABBAR" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern regions of India and Pakistan. It traces its roots back to the Sanskrit word "babhru," which means "brown" or "reddish-brown." This suggests that the name was originally used to describe someone with a brownish complexion or hair color.
The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries. It is found in various historical records and manuscripts from that era, particularly in the areas that are now part of the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.
One notable figure with the surname "BABBAR" was Shyam Sundar Babbar, a renowned Sufi poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century. His works, which were primarily written in Persian and Hindi, explored themes of spirituality, love, and devotion. Another individual of note was Rani Babbar Devi, a prominent figure in the 17th century who played a significant role in the Mughal court and was known for her patronage of the arts and literature.
In the 18th century, the name appears in records related to the East India Company, with several individuals bearing the surname serving as traders and administrators. One such individual was Lal Babbar, a merchant who established a successful trading network between India and Europe.
Moving into the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the field of education and social reform. Hari Ram Babbar, born in 1826, was a pioneering educator who established several schools and advocated for the education of women and underprivileged communities.
The surname "BABBAR" has also been associated with various place names and villages throughout northern India and Pakistan. For instance, the village of Babbar Akali in Punjab, India, is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself, suggesting a historical presence of the Babbar community in that region.
Throughout its history, the surname "BABBAR" has been spelled in various ways, including "Babbur," "Babar," and "Babbar," reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences in the regions where it originated and spread.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Babbar
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Babbar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Babbar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.7% · 288
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 4
- Two or more races1.3% · 4
- White1.0% · 3
- Black or African American0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Babbar
Babbar appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#91,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 200
+85 bearers (+73.9%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 42,948 places
2020
#70,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 301
+101 bearers (+50.5%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 21,834 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #91,981 | 200 | 0.07 | +85 bearers (+73.9%) | Up 42,948 places |
| 2020 | #70,147 | 301 | 0.10 | +101 bearers (+50.5%) | Up 21,834 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Babbar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #91,981 | #70,147 | 23.7% |
| Count | 200 | 301 | 50.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.10 | 43.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Babbar bearers went from 200 to 301 (+50.5% change). The surname moved up 21,834 positions in the national ranking, going from #91,981 to #70,147.
FAQ
Babbar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Babbar?
Name Census estimates that about 345 living Americans carry the surname Babbar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 993,491 residents.
How common is Babbar?
Babbar ranks #70,147 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 301 people with the surname Babbar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (345), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Babbar.
Has Babbar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Babbar went from 200 recorded bearers to 301. That is an increase of 101 (+50.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #91,981 to #70,147.
What does the Census say about the background of Babbar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbar, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Babbar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (288 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Babbar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.7%), Hispanic (1.3%), Two or More Races (1.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Babbar (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Babbar mean?
A surname of Indian origin meaning lion or tiger. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Babbar (0.10 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Babbar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.