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

Baker, 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 Baker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baker in America

Baker is the 44th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baker surname appeared 419,586 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 142 people would have the surname Baker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baker 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 Baker

The surname Baker is an occupational name that originated in England in the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "bakere," meaning a person who baked or prepared bread and other baked goods. The name's roots can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was found in various forms such as "le Bakere" and "le Bakestre."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Baker surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mention a person named Hugh le Baker. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 also list a Richard le Bakere, indicating the surname's widespread use during this time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and manors in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any specific references to the Baker surname. However, it does mention the occupation of bakers in various towns and villages, suggesting that the profession was well-established by the late 11th century.

The Baker surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous was Thomas Baker (1656-1740), an English antiquary and scholar who wrote extensively on the history of Cambridge University and its colleges. Another prominent figure was George Baker (1540-1612), an English lawyer and historian who served as the Recorder of London.

In the realm of literature, the Baker surname has been borne by authors such as Samuel Baker (1836-1893), an English explorer and writer best known for his travels in Africa, and James Addison Baker (1914-1995), an American novelist and playwright.

Other notable individuals with the Baker surname include Joseph Baker (1767-1838), a British engineer and inventor credited with developing the first successful submarine, and Sir Richard Baker (1568-1645), an English chronicler and historian who authored "A Chronicle of the Kings of England."

While the Baker surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, due to migration and the dispersion of English settlers over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baker

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

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

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

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