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

Bagby, 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 Bagby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bagby in America

Bagby is the 6174th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bagby surname appeared 5,542 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 Bagby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bagby 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 Bagby

The surname Bagby is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bæc" meaning "ridge" or "hill" and "byg" meaning "dwelling" or "settlement." The combination of these words suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near or on a ridge or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Bagby can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, where a person named William Bagby is listed as a landowner. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 13th century, indicating the presence of individuals with this surname in different parts of England during that time.

In terms of place names, the village of Bagby in North Yorkshire, England, is believed to have been named after the surname, rather than the other way around. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name "Bagebi," which further supports the antiquity of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bagby was Sir Ralph Bagby, a prominent English knight who lived in the late 13th century and was a participant in the Welsh Wars under King Edward I. Another notable figure was John Bagby, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk, who was born around 1420 and played a significant role in the local affairs of his time.

During the Tudor period, the Bagby family gained prominence in Leicestershire, with William Bagby (1510-1575) serving as a Member of Parliament for the county. In the 17th century, Richard Bagby (1635-1700) was a respected Anglican clergyman and author, known for his religious writings.

Another individual of note was Sir Edward Bagby (1770-1848), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. He was knighted for his distinguished service and bravery in several battles against the French.

Throughout history, the surname Bagby has been spelled in various ways, including Bagbie, Bagbey, and Bagbie, reflecting the variations in spelling conventions during different eras. Despite these variations, the name has retained its distinctive English origins and association with the concept of a ridge or hill dwelling.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bagby

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

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

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

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