2000
#5,173
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,210
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.30
Rare Last name
Babin
A French occupational surname for a stutterer or stammerer, derived from the Old French word "baube" meaning "stammering".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,919 Americans carry the last name Babin. That puts it at #5,562 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,538 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Babin 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
6.9K
1 in 49,538
Census rank
#5,562
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,034 bearers of the surname Babin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5562nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Babin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Babin
The surname "BABIN" is of Russian origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Slavic term "baba," which means "old woman" or "grandmother." This term was commonly used as a nickname or a descriptive term, indicating that the name likely originated as a patronymic or a reference to an ancestor.
In the early days, the name was predominantly found in the regions of central and northern Russia, particularly in areas around Moscow and Novgorod. Historical records indicate that the name was sometimes spelled as "Babyn" or "Babina" in its earlier forms.
One of the earliest known mentions of the name "BABIN" can be found in the Voskresenskaya Letopis, a Russian chronicle dating back to the 16th century. This chronicle documented various events and individuals from the time, including several individuals bearing the surname "BABIN."
During the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of a notable Russian family, the Babins. Ivan Babin (1590-1663) was a prominent merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of Moscow during the reign of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
Another notable figure was Fyodor Babin (1620-1689), a Russian diplomat and statesman who served as an ambassador to several European countries, including Sweden and Denmark. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in shaping Russia's foreign relations during that period.
In the 18th century, the name "BABIN" continued to be associated with influential families and individuals. Yakov Babin (1701-1783) was a renowned artist and icon painter who contributed significantly to the development of Russian religious art.
The 19th century saw the emergence of several literary figures bearing the surname "BABIN." One of the most prominent was Nikolai Babin (1824-1897), a Russian writer and poet who was known for his satirical works critiquing societal norms and the ruling class.
Another notable individual from this era was Anna Babina (1848-1917), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools and educational institutions, working tirelessly to promote access to education for women in Russia.
As the centuries passed, the name "BABIN" spread beyond Russia's borders, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields across the globe. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Russian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Babin
Among Census respondents with the surname Babin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Babin 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 Babin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 5,324
- Black or African American4.5% · 269
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 227
- Two or more races2.4% · 142
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 35
Timeline
Historical Census data for Babin
Babin 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
#5,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,426
+216 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 2.18
Rank movement Down 242 places
2020
#5,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,034
-392 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 2.02
Rank movement Down 147 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,173 | 6,210 | 2.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,415 | 6,426 | 2.18 | +216 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 242 places |
| 2020 | #5,562 | 6,034 | 2.02 | -392 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 147 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 Babin 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 | #5,415 | #5,562 | -2.7% |
| Count | 6,426 | 6,034 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 2.18 | 2.02 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Babin bearers went from 6,426 to 6,034 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 147 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,415 to #5,562.
FAQ
Babin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Babin?
Name Census estimates that about 6,919 living Americans carry the surname Babin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,538 residents.
How common is Babin?
Babin ranks #5,562 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.02 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 6,034 people with the surname Babin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,919), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.02 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 Babin.
Has Babin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Babin went from 6,426 recorded bearers to 6,034. That is a decrease of 392 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,415 to #5,562.
What does the Census say about the background of Babin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Babin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Babin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (5,324 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Babin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Black (4.5%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Babin (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 Babin mean?
A French occupational surname for a stutterer or stammerer, derived from the Old French word "baube" meaning "stammering". 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 Babin (2.02 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 people have the surname Babin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.