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

Bains, 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 Bains surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bains in America

Bains is the 9621st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bains surname appeared 3,377 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bains.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bains 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 Bains

The surname BAINS is of Anglo-Norman origin, deriving from the Old French word "bain" meaning "bath" or "bathing place". It is believed to have originated in Normandy, France during the 11th century. The name was likely initially used as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a bathhouse or natural spring.

The earliest recorded instance of the BAINS surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Bains" in reference to a Norman landowner in Yorkshire, England. This suggests that the name was brought to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 12th century, the BAINS name was found in various regions of England, including Lincolnshire and Somerset. One notable bearer was William de Bains, who was recorded as holding lands in Lincolnshire in 1166.

During the 13th century, the BAINS surname began to appear in Scottish records as well. In 1296, Aleyn de Bayns, a Scottish landowner, swore fealty to King Edward I of England, indicating the presence of the name in Scotland at that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the BAINS surname was Sir Walter de Baines, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born around 1320 and died in 1386.

In the 16th century, the BAINS surname was associated with the village of Baines in Haddingtonshire, Scotland. John Bains, born in 1520, was a prominent Scottish scholar and author who served as a professor at the University of St. Andrews.

Another notable bearer was Sir James Baines, an English politician and lawyer who lived from 1600 to 1679. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted for his services to the Crown.

In the 18th century, Edward Baines (1774-1848) was a renowned English reformer, journalist, and politician. He founded the Leeds Mercury newspaper and campaigned for social and political reforms.

Additionally, Thomas Baines (1822-1875) was a British artist and explorer who traveled extensively in Southern Africa and documented his journeys through paintings and writings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bains

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

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

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

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