Find out how popular the last name Babson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Babson.
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "son of Babb".
Babson, 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 Babson surname is from the 2010 census data.
Babson is the 29473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Babson surname appeared 801 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 Babson.
We can also compare 2010 data for Babson 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 29473 | 26694 | 9.90% |
Count | 801 | 858 | -6.87% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.27 | 0.32 | -16.95% |
The surname Babson is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "bab" and "son," which together meant "son of a baby" or "young son."
During the medieval period, surnames were often adopted based on physical characteristics, occupations, or relationships. The name Babson likely referred to a child or a young person, potentially indicating that the original bearer of the name was significantly younger than his contemporaries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Babson can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England and its landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Babson in the village of Hutton Cranswick, East Yorkshire.
In the 13th century, several references to individuals bearing the name Babson appear in various historical records. Richard Babson, born in 1210 in Beverley, Yorkshire, was a prominent merchant and trader who established trade routes between England and the Low Countries.
During the 16th century, the Babson family gained prominence in the county of Lincolnshire. Thomas Babson, born in 1532, was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral from 1570 until his death in 1585.
One of the most notable figures associated with the surname Babson was Sir John Babson, a military commander who fought alongside Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War in the 17th century. Born in 1618 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, he played a crucial role in several battles and was knighted for his valor in 1646.
In the 18th century, the Babson family established themselves in the town of Babson's Hill, near Coventry, Warwickshire. This location was named after the prominent Babson landowners in the area, and it remains a testament to the family's influence and legacy.
Another notable individual with the surname Babson was Elizabeth Babson, born in 1775 in Cheshire. She was a pioneering educator and author who founded several schools for girls in the early 19th century, advocating for equal educational opportunities for women.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Babson.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Babson was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 95.76% | 767 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 1.00% | 8 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.25% | 10 |
Hispanic Origin | 1.50% | 12 |
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 Babson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 95.76% | 96.97% | -1.26% |
Black | 1.00% | 1.17% | -15.67% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 1.25% | 0.70% | 56.41% |
Hispanic | 1.50% | 0.93% | 46.91% |
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 Babson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/babson-surname-popularity/">Babson last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Babson last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 29, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/babson-surname-popularity/.
"Babson last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/babson-surname-popularity/. Accessed 29 April, 2025
Babson last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/babson-surname-popularity/.
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