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

Bae, 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 Bae surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bae in America

Bae is the 5606th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bae surname appeared 6,203 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bae.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bae 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 Bae

The surname "BAE" is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "baec," which means "back" or "ridge." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ridge or on the back of a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. The name appears as "de Bae," indicating it may have been associated with a particular location or estate.

In the 16th century, the name was documented in various Scottish records, such as the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, where it was spelled as "Bae" and "Bay." This suggests that the spelling had evolved over time, possibly influenced by regional dialects or scribal variations.

During the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the Parish of Ayr, where a man named John Bae was born in 1632. Another notable individual from this period was Robert Bae, a merchant in Edinburgh who was granted a coat of arms in 1672.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be prevalent in Scotland, with records showing individuals such as William Bae (1702-1768), a landowner in Aberdeenshire, and Alexander Bae (1745-1820), a Presbyterian minister in Forfarshire.

As the name spread across Scotland, it also found its way into literary works. In Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Antiquary," published in 1816, a character named Mrs. Bae is mentioned, suggesting that the name was well-established in Scottish society by that time.

Other notable individuals with the surname "BAE" include:

1. George Bae (1788-1862), a Scottish-born businessman who established a successful trading company in New York City.
2. James Bae (1820-1892), a Scottish-born civil engineer who worked on several major infrastructure projects in Canada.
3. Elizabeth Bae (1858-1934), a Scottish-born author and advocate for women's rights, known for her work in promoting education for girls.
4. Robert Bae (1876-1952), a Scottish-born architect who designed several prominent buildings in Sydney, Australia.
5. Margaret Bae (1912-1998), a Scottish-born artist renowned for her landscape paintings depicting the Scottish Highlands.

While the surname "BAE" has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world through immigration and migration patterns, carrying with it a rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bae

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

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

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

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