2000
#16,202
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,640
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.61
Rare Last name
Bai
A Chinese surname meaning "white," often referring to the light color of one's skin or hair.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,911 Americans carry the last name Bai. That puts it at #6,341 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,986 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bai 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 Bai with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.9K
1 in 57,986
Census rank
#6,341
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,155 bearers of the surname Bai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6341st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Black (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bai
The surname BAI is believed to have originated in China, with records of the name dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "bai," which means "white" or "pure," indicating that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname or a reference to a geographic location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BAI can be found in the "Tongzhi" (Comprehensive Treatises), an encyclopedia compiled during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). This work mentions several individuals with the surname BAI who were notable scholars and officials during the Tang and Song dynasties (960-1279).
In the 11th century, a renowned poet and calligrapher named BAI Juyi (772-846) gained fame for his literary works, which were widely celebrated for their simple yet profound style. He was a prominent figure during the Tang Dynasty and is considered one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a scholar and philosopher named BAI Xingjian (1615-1688) made significant contributions to the field of Neo-Confucianism. His works, which explored the relationship between humanity and nature, were highly influential in the development of Chinese philosophical thought.
In more recent history, BAI Qiuying (1794-1857) was a renowned painter and calligrapher who lived during the Qing Dynasty. Her paintings and calligraphic works were celebrated for their elegance and profoundly captured the essence of traditional Chinese art.
Another notable figure with the surname BAI was BAI Chongxi (1909-2003), a prominent Chinese general and military leader who played a crucial role in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China. He was known for his strategic military prowess and his unwavering loyalty to the Communist cause.
While the surname BAI is primarily associated with China, it is also found in other parts of Asia, including Vietnam and Korea, where it may have been adopted or adapted from the Chinese pronunciation and meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bai
Among Census respondents with the surname Bai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Black (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bai 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 Bai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.1% · 4,746
- White4.5% · 234
- Black or African American1.3% · 69
- Two or more races1.0% · 52
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bai
Bai 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
#10,237
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,148
+1,508 bearers (+92.0%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 5,965 places
2020
#6,341
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,155
+2,007 bearers (+63.8%)
Per 100,000 1.72
Rank movement Up 3,896 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,202 | 1,640 | 0.61 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,237 | 3,148 | 1.07 | +1,508 bearers (+92.0%) | Up 5,965 places |
| 2020 | #6,341 | 5,155 | 1.72 | +2,007 bearers (+63.8%) | Up 3,896 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 Bai 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 | #10,237 | #6,341 | 38.1% |
| Count | 3,148 | 5,155 | 63.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 1.72 | 61.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bai bearers went from 3,148 to 5,155 (+63.8% change). The surname moved up 3,896 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,237 to #6,341.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bai
FAQ
Bai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bai?
Name Census estimates that about 5,911 living Americans carry the surname Bai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 57,986 residents.
How common is Bai?
Bai ranks #6,341 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,155 people with the surname Bai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,911), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Bai.
Has Bai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bai went from 3,148 recorded bearers to 5,155. That is an increase of 2,007 (+63.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,237 to #6,341.
What does the Census say about the background of Bai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Black (1.3%). 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 Bai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (4,746 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.1%), White (4.5%), Black (1.3%). 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 Bai (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 Bai mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "white," often referring to the light color of one's skin or hair. 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 Bai (1.72 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 Americans have the surname Bai?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.