2000
#16,062
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,657
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.61
Rare Last name
Bah
A French surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for someone stubborn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,670 Americans carry the last name Bah. That puts it at #4,552 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.53 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 39,533 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bah 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 Bah with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
8.7K
1 in 39,533
Census rank
#4,552
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,561 bearers of the surname Bah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.53 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4552nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bah, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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recorded instances of the surname "BAH" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region of Germany, which dates back to the 14th century.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bah
Among Census respondents with the surname Bah, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bah 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 Bah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American94.1% · 7,118
- White2.2% · 163
- Two or more races2.0% · 154
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 68
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 52
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bah
Bah 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
#7,130
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,690
+3,033 bearers (+183.0%)
Per 100,000 1.59
Rank movement Up 8,932 places
2020
#4,552
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,561
+2,871 bearers (+61.2%)
Per 100,000 2.53
Rank movement Up 2,578 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,062 | 1,657 | 0.61 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,130 | 4,690 | 1.59 | +3,033 bearers (+183.0%) | Up 8,932 places |
| 2020 | #4,552 | 7,561 | 2.53 | +2,871 bearers (+61.2%) | Up 2,578 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 Bah 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 | #7,130 | #4,552 | 36.2% |
| Count | 4,690 | 7,561 | 61.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.59 | 2.53 | 59.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bah bearers went from 4,690 to 7,561 (+61.2% change). The surname moved up 2,578 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,130 to #4,552.
FAQ
Bah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bah?
Name Census estimates that about 8,670 living Americans carry the surname Bah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 39,533 residents.
How common is Bah?
Bah ranks #4,552 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.53 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,561 people with the surname Bah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,670), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.53 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.53 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Bah.
Has Bah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bah went from 4,690 recorded bearers to 7,561. That is an increase of 2,871 (+61.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,130 to #4,552.
What does the Census say about the background of Bah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bah, the largest self-reported group is Black at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (2.2%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (7,118 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (94.1%), White (2.2%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Bah (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 Bah mean?
A French surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for someone stubborn. 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 Bah (2.53 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 common is the surname Bah?
You can see how many people are called Bah on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.