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

Bah, 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 Bah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bah in America

Bah is the 7130th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bah surname appeared 4,690 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 Bah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bah 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 Bah

The surname "BAH" is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bah," which means "stream" or "brook." This surname was likely given to someone who lived near a small stream or watercourse.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "BAH" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region of Germany, which dates back to the 14th century. In this document, a person named "Heinrich Bah" is mentioned in relation to a land transaction from the year 1376.

During the 15th century, the surname "BAH" appeared in various records across different regions of Germany. One notable example is Hans Bah, a merchant from the city of Nuremberg, who was born in 1432 and died in 1498. He was known for his successful trading ventures and his involvement in local politics.

In the 16th century, the surname "BAH" spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Switzerland. One prominent bearer of this name was Johannes Bah, a Swiss theologian and reformer who lived from 1516 to 1588. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and was a close associate of John Calvin.

As time passed, the surname "BAH" underwent minor spelling variations, such as "Bah," "Bahe," and "Bahm." These variations can be found in historical records from different regions of Germany and neighboring countries.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname "BAH" was Johann Bah, a German composer and organist who lived from 1639 to 1718. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of organ music and his compositions for the Lutheran church.

In the 19th century, the surname "BAH" gained more prominence with the birth of Friedrich Bah, a German philosopher and educator who lived from 1811 to 1892. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time and is best known for his work on education and the concept of "cultural literacy."

It is important to note that while the surname "BAH" has a rich history and has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries, it remains a relatively uncommon surname, especially outside of its region of origin in Germany and neighboring countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bah

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

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

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

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