2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bakaj
A surname of Albanian origin meaning "shepherd" or "herdsman".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Bakaj. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bakaj 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Bakaj in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bakaj
The surname "BAKAJ" originates from the Balkan region, specifically Albania and Kosovo. It is believed to have emerged during the late 15th century or early 16th century, a period when the Ottoman Empire had a significant influence in the region.
One theory suggests that "BAKAJ" is derived from the Albanian word "bak," which means "shepherd" or "herdsman." This connection implies that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in pastoral or agricultural activities.
Another theory proposes that "BAKAJ" is a variant spelling or a derivative of the Turkish name "Bakay," which itself may have roots in the Turkic word "baka," meaning "to look" or "to watch." This potential origin could indicate that the name was originally held by individuals who served as watchmen or guards.
The earliest known record of the name "BAKAJ" dates back to the late 16th century, when it appeared in a Ottoman tax register (defter) from the Prizren region, which was part of the Ottoman Empire at that time.
One notable individual bearing the surname "BAKAJ" was Xhevdet Bakaj (1892-1963), an Albanian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Principality of Albania in the early 20th century.
Another prominent figure was Enver Bakaj (1913-1986), an Albanian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the development of Albanian literature during the 20th century.
In the field of sports, Hamdi Bakaj (born 1966) was a professional football player who represented the Albanian national team and played for several clubs in Albania and Greece.
Fatmir Bakaj (born 1963) is a renowned Albanian artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited internationally and are part of numerous public and private collections.
Lastly, Rexhep Bakaj (1874-1947) was a prominent Albanian educator and writer who made significant contributions to the development of the Albanian language and literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bakaj
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bakaj 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 Bakaj surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bakaj
Bakaj appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,823 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 8,823 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 Bakaj 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 | #156,044 | #147,221 | 5.7% |
| Count | 104 | 113 | 8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bakaj bearers went from 104 to 113 (+8.7% change). The surname moved up 8,823 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #147,221.
FAQ
Bakaj surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bakaj?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Bakaj. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Bakaj?
Bakaj ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Bakaj. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bakaj.
Has Bakaj become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bakaj went from 104 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 9 (+8.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Bakaj?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakaj, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bakaj in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bakaj appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.5%), Hispanic (2.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Bakaj (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 Bakaj mean?
A surname of Albanian origin meaning "shepherd" or "herdsman". 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 Bakaj (0.04 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 Bakaj?
You can see how many people have the last name Bakaj on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.