2000
#5,982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,300
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.96
Rare Last name
Babbitt
A surname referring to a person who was a maker or seller of wooden tubs or casks.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,779 Americans carry the last name Babbitt. That puts it at #6,479 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 59,310 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Babbitt 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.
Bearers in the US
5.8K
1 in 59,310
Census rank
#6,479
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,040 bearers of the surname Babbitt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6479th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Babbitt
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Babbitt 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 Babbitt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.4% · 4,303
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 234
- Black or African American4.4% · 224
- Two or more races3.4% · 171
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.3% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 45
Timeline
Historical Census data for Babbitt
Babbitt 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
#6,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,320
+20 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 1.80
Rank movement Down 413 places
2020
#6,479
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,040
-280 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Down 84 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,982 | 5,300 | 1.96 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,395 | 5,320 | 1.80 | +20 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 413 places |
| 2020 | #6,479 | 5,040 | 1.69 | -280 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 84 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 Babbitt 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 | #6,395 | #6,479 | -1.3% |
| Count | 5,320 | 5,040 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.80 | 1.69 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Babbitt bearers went from 5,320 to 5,040 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 84 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,395 to #6,479.
FAQ
Babbitt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Babbitt?
Name Census estimates that about 5,779 living Americans carry the surname Babbitt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 59,310 residents.
How common is Babbitt?
Babbitt ranks #6,479 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,040 people with the surname Babbitt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,779), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Babbitt.
Has Babbitt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Babbitt went from 5,320 recorded bearers to 5,040. That is a decrease of 280 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,395 to #6,479.
What does the Census say about the background of Babbitt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Babbitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (4.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Babbitt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.4% (4,303 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Babbitt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.4%), Hispanic (4.6%), Black (4.4%). 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 Babbitt (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 Babbitt mean?
A surname referring to a person who was a maker or seller of wooden tubs or casks. 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 Babbitt (1.69 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 Babbitt?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.