2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Badwal
An Indian surname signifying the village or place of origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 311 Americans carry the last name Badwal. That puts it at #76,478 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,102,104 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Badwal 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Badwal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
311
1 in 1,102,104
Census rank
#76,478
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
271
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 271 bearers of the surname Badwal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 76478th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Badwal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Black (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Badwal
The surname BADWAL has its origins in the Punjab region of South Asia, particularly in present-day India and Pakistan. It can be traced back to the 16th century or earlier. The name is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "badava," meaning "wind" or "air," combined with the suffix "-wal," indicating a person associated with or connected to something.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BADWAL can be found in the Mughal Empire's administrative records from the 17th century, where it appears as a designation for individuals responsible for operating wind-powered devices, such as water pumps or grain mills. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to those who worked with wind-driven machinery.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the BADWAL surname was prevalent among certain communities in the Punjab region, particularly those involved in agricultural or trade activities. The name was also found in historical records and manuscripts from that time, including land ownership documents and taxation records.
One notable figure bearing the BADWAL surname was Sardar Karam Singh BADWAL, a prominent Sikh leader and military commander who lived in the late 18th century. He played a significant role in the Punjab region's resistance against the Durrani Empire and the consolidation of Sikh rule.
Another individual of historical significance was Bhai Mani Singh BADWAL, a renowned 17th-century Sikh scholar and theologian. He was instrumental in the compilation and preservation of the Sikh scriptures, particularly the Adi Granth, which is now known as the Guru Granth Sahib.
In the 19th century, Baba Sham Singh BADWAL gained recognition as a spiritual leader and social reformer. He worked to promote education and uplift marginalized communities in the Punjab region. His teachings and philosophy continue to influence Sikh thought and practice.
The BADWAL surname can also be found in literary works and historical accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries, often associated with individuals involved in trade, agriculture, or military endeavors in the Punjab region. Examples include Dewan Manohar Lal BADWAL, a prominent trader and landowner, and General Sardar Bahadur Singh BADWAL, a distinguished military leader in the 19th century.
While the BADWAL surname has its roots in the Punjab region, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical significance and cultural connections of this name remain tied to its origins in South Asia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Badwal
Among Census respondents with the surname Badwal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Black (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Badwal 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 Badwal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.7% · 262
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 5
- Black or African American0.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Badwal
Badwal 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
#80,926
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 234
+90 bearers (+62.5%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 32,041 places
2020
#76,478
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 271
+37 bearers (+15.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 4,448 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,926 | 234 | 0.08 | +90 bearers (+62.5%) | Up 32,041 places |
| 2020 | #76,478 | 271 | 0.09 | +37 bearers (+15.8%) | Up 4,448 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 Badwal 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 | #80,926 | #76,478 | 5.5% |
| Count | 234 | 271 | 15.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.09 | 13.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Badwal bearers went from 234 to 271 (+15.8% change). The surname moved up 4,448 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,926 to #76,478.
FAQ
Badwal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Badwal?
Name Census estimates that about 311 living Americans carry the surname Badwal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,102,104 residents.
How common is Badwal?
Badwal ranks #76,478 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 271 people with the surname Badwal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (311), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Badwal.
Has Badwal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Badwal went from 234 recorded bearers to 271. That is an increase of 37 (+15.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #80,926 to #76,478.
What does the Census say about the background of Badwal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Badwal, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Black (0.7%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Badwal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (262 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Badwal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.7%), Hispanic (1.8%), Black (0.7%). 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 Badwal (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 Badwal mean?
An Indian surname signifying the village or place of origin. 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 Badwal (0.09 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 last name Badwal?
If you just want to know how common the surname Badwal is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.