2000
#24,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 952
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.35
Rare Last name
Baik
A surname meaning "good" or "kind" in several Asian languages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,109 Americans carry the last name Baik. That puts it at #15,363 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 162,520 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Baik 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.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 162,520
Census rank
#15,363
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,839 bearers of the surname Baik in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15363rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Baik, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Baik
The surname BAIK originated in the Korean peninsula, with the earliest records dating back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 935 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Korean word "baek," which means "white" or "bright." This surname was commonly found in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces of Korea.
One of the earliest known references to the BAIK surname can be found in the Samguk Sagi, a historical record compiled in 1145 during the Goryeo Dynasty. This text mentions a prominent scholar and politician named BAIK Chisang, who lived during the 7th century.
In the 13th century, the BAIK surname was associated with the village of Baekseok, located in present-day South Gyeongsang Province. The village's name, which translates to "white stone," may have contributed to the surname's etymology.
During the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), several notable figures bore the BAIK surname. One such individual was BAIK Inje (1586–1642), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to Neo-Confucian thought.
Another prominent figure was BAIK Dong-soo (1628–1700), a scholar-official who served in various government positions during the 17th century. He is known for his literary works and his efforts to promote Confucian values.
In the 19th century, BAIK Jeong-ho (1817–1863) was a prominent educator and calligrapher who established a private academy in Gyeongju, South Korea. His academy played a crucial role in preserving and promoting traditional Korean culture and values.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the BAIK surname can be traced back to a royal decree issued by King Taejo in 1397, which granted the surname to a loyal subject named Hwang Un-gyeong for his service to the newly established Joseon Dynasty.
Throughout history, the BAIK surname has been associated with various place names, including Baekseok Village, Baekchon (meaning "white village"), and Baeksan (meaning "white mountain"). These place names reflect the connection between the surname and the concept of "whiteness" or "brightness."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Baik
Among Census respondents with the surname Baik, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Baik 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 Baik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.1% · 1,730
- White3.5% · 64
- Two or more races1.3% · 24
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 12
- Black or African American0.4% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Baik
Baik 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
#24,822
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,003
+51 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.34
Rank movement Down 224 places
2020
#15,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,839
+836 bearers (+83.3%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 9,459 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,598 | 952 | 0.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,822 | 1,003 | 0.34 | +51 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 224 places |
| 2020 | #15,363 | 1,839 | 0.62 | +836 bearers (+83.3%) | Up 9,459 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 Baik 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 | #24,822 | #15,363 | 38.1% |
| Count | 1,003 | 1,839 | 83.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.62 | 81.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Baik bearers went from 1,003 to 1,839 (+83.3% change). The surname moved up 9,459 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,822 to #15,363.
FAQ
Baik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Baik?
Name Census estimates that about 2,109 living Americans carry the surname Baik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 162,520 residents.
How common is Baik?
Baik ranks #15,363 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,839 people with the surname Baik. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,109), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Baik.
Has Baik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Baik went from 1,003 recorded bearers to 1,839. That is an increase of 836 (+83.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #24,822 to #15,363.
What does the Census say about the background of Baik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Baik, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Two or More Races (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 Baik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (1,730 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Baik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.1%), White (3.5%), Two or More Races (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 Baik (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 Baik mean?
A surname meaning "good" or "kind" in several Asian languages. 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 Baik (0.62 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 people have the last name Baik?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Baik on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.