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

Babel, 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 Babel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Babel in America

Babel is the 24648th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Babel surname appeared 1,013 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Babel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Babel 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 Babel

The surname BABEL is an English habitational name derived from the place name Babel in Suffolk, England. This place name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "bæbban" meaning "font" or "source", and "hyll" meaning "hill". The name thus likely referred to a location near a source or stream on a hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname BABEL dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. The name appeared as "Rad de Babbehilla" in 1199, indicating its connection to the place name Babbehilla, an older spelling variation.

In the 13th century, the surname BABEL was found in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where it appeared as "Hugh de Babbeleye". This suggests the name may have been derived from a place called Babbeleye, possibly related to the Suffolk location.

One notable early bearer of the BABEL surname was John Babel, a wealthy merchant from London who lived in the late 14th century. Records show he was involved in trade with the Hanseatic League and owned properties in several English counties.

During the 16th century, the BABEL surname was present in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. A notable individual from this period was William Babel, a member of the Guild of Mercers in London, who was born around 1520.

In the 17th century, the BABEL surname appeared in the parish records of several counties, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. One notable bearer from this time was Thomas Babel, a landowner and farmer from Gloucestershire, born in 1634.

The 18th century saw the BABEL surname spread across England and into other parts of the British Isles. A notable figure was John Babel, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, born in 1718, who traded with the American colonies.

Throughout history, the BABEL surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, landowners, farmers, and tradesmen. While not a widespread name, it has maintained a presence in various regions of England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Babel

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

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

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

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