Baksh last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Baksh

An occupational surname for one who worked as a paymaster or accountant.

Baksh, 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 Baksh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baksh in America

Baksh is the 16150th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baksh surname appeared 1,791 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 Baksh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baksh 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 16150 19136 -16.92%
Count 1,791 1,314 30.72%
Proportion per 100k 0.61 0.49 21.82%

The history of the last name Baksh

The surname BAKSH has its origins in South Asia, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Persian word "bakhsh," which means "giver" or "bestower." This name was likely given to individuals who were known for their generosity or charitable acts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BAKSH can be found in the Mughal Empire's administrative records. During the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor, a nobleman named Mir Baksh served as a high-ranking official in the court. This suggests that the name was already in use among the elite classes of society during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name BAKSH appears in various historical documents and manuscripts, including land records and tax registers. For example, a village named Bakhshpur was mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari, a comprehensive account of the Mughal administration written during the reign of Akbar.

One notable figure with the surname BAKSH was Shah Baksh Khan, a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the late 17th century. He played a crucial role in several military campaigns and was known for his bravery and strategic skills.

Another individual of historical significance was Baksh Ali Khan, a poet and courtier who lived during the 18th century. He was a patron of the arts and literature and is credited with promoting the development of Urdu poetry during his time.

In the 19th century, the name BAKSH continued to be prevalent among various communities in South Asia. One notable example is Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Bahadur BAKSH, a renowned Muslim philosopher, educator, and reformer who played a pivotal role in the intellectual and social awakening of the Indian subcontinent.

The surname BAKSH can also be found in various place names across the region, such as Bakhshiwala, a town in the Punjab province of Pakistan, and Bakhshi ka Talab, a historical pond located in Lucknow, India. These place names likely originated from individuals or families with the surname BAKSH who had significant influence or ownership in those areas.

Over the centuries, the name BAKSH has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, poets, warriors, and administrators, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of this surname in South Asia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baksh

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

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 Baksh was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 9.10% 163
Non-Hispanic Black Only 26.07% 467
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 48.35% 866
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.74% 49
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 9.16% 164
Hispanic Origin 4.58% 82

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 Baksh has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 9.10% 5.71% 45.78%
Black 26.07% 16.59% 44.44%
Asian and Pacific Islander 48.35% 38.66% 22.27%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.74% 2.28% 18.33%
Two or More Races 9.16% 33.87% -114.85%
Hispanic 4.58% 2.89% 45.25%

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

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

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"Baksh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/baksh-surname-popularity/.

"Baksh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/baksh-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Baksh last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/baksh-surname-popularity/.

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