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

Bales, 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 Bales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bales in America

Bales is the 2704th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bales surname appeared 13,326 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Bales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bales 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 Bales

The surname Bales is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bale," which referred to a bundle or bale of goods. This name likely originated as an occupational surname given to someone who worked with bales or bundles, such as a merchant or trader.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bales can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a William Bales is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John de Bales.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, which mention a Thomas Bales in 1279. The Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record from the reign of Edward I, also includes a reference to a John Bales in 1292.

The surname Bales can also be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1332, where a William Bales is listed. Additionally, the Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 include several individuals with the surname, such as Johannes Bales and Robertus Bales.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the name continued to appear in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex, which mentions a Thomas Bales in 1506. Another notable individual was John Bales (c. 1495-1563), an English dramatist and Bishop of Ossory, known for his play "Kynge Johan."

During the 17th century, the name Bales was associated with several prominent figures, including Peter Bales (1547-1610), an English Catholic priest and author, and Richard Bales (1615-1668), an English lawyer and member of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn.

Another notable individual was Walter Bales (1639-1676), an English soldier and officer who served in the Third Anglo-Dutch War. In the 18th century, Thomas Bales (1705-1749) was a British artist known for his landscape paintings.

As the surname spread across England, it also appeared in various place names, such as Bales Green in Suffolk and Bales Ash in Shropshire, further solidifying its presence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bales

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

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

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

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