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

Babbitt, 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 Babbitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Babbitt in America

Babbitt is the 6395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Babbitt surname appeared 5,320 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Babbitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Babbitt 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 Babbitt

The surname Babbitt originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "babit," meaning a silly or foolish person. The name was likely a nickname given to someone who exhibited such characteristics.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records throughout England, often spelled as "Babbet" or "Babbit." One of the earliest recorded instances was in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a man named Richard Babbitt was listed as a landowner.

During the 14th century, the name Babbitt was found in several manuscripts and documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1327, where a John Babbitt was recorded as a taxpayer.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Babbitt. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Babbingley in Norfolk and Babcary in Somerset.

Amongst the notable individuals bearing the Babbitt surname throughout history are:

1. Natalie Babbitt (1932-2016), an American author and illustrator, best known for her children's novel "Tuck Everlasting."
2. Irving Babbitt (1865-1933), an American literary critic and philosopher, known for his influential work on humanism and the concept of the "inner check."
3. William Babbitt (1753-1833), an American inventor and entrepreneur, credited with developing the first modern soap-making process.
4. Milton Babbitt (1916-2011), an American composer and influential music theorist, known for his pioneering work in serialism and electronic music.
5. Bruce Babbitt (born 1938), an American politician and environmentalist, who served as the United States Secretary of the Interior under President Bill Clinton.

While the surname Babbitt has its roots in England during the Middle Ages, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with notable individuals bearing the name making significant contributions in fields ranging from literature and philosophy to science and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Babbitt

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

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 Babbitt 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 Babbitt 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 Babbitt was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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