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

Balian, 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 Balian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balian in America

Balian is the 27732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balian surname appeared 867 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Balian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balian 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 Balian

The surname BALIAN originated in Armenia, with roots dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Armenian word "balit," meaning "to come forth" or "to appear." The earliest known bearers of this name were members of the noble Balian family, who played a prominent role in the Crusades and the defense of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

One of the most notable historical figures bearing this name was Balu of Ibelin, also known as Balian of Ibelin or Balian the Younger (c. 1143-1193). He was a prominent leader during the Third Crusade and served as the Lord of Ibelin and regent of Jerusalem. Balian's heroic defense of Jerusalem against Saladin's forces in 1187 is well documented in contemporary chronicles.

Another famous bearer of this name was Balian of Sidon (c. 1240-1315), a distinguished military leader and diplomat who served as the Lord of Sidon and played a crucial role in the negotiations between the Crusaders and the Mamluk Sultanate. His exploits are recorded in various chronicles, including those of the Templar of Tyre.

In the 14th century, the Balian family settled in Italy, and the name appears in various Italian records from that period. One notable figure was Baliano di Matteo (c. 1335-1410), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Florence, whose name is mentioned in several legal documents and property deeds.

The name also found its way to France, where it appeared in various spellings, such as Balian, Ballian, and Ballien. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of Jean Balian (c. 1425-1498), a nobleman from Provence who served as a military commander during the Italian Wars.

In the 16th century, the name Balian was present in England, likely brought by French or Italian immigrants. One notable bearer was Sir Walter Balian (c. 1530-1592), a wealthy merchant and landowner from London, who served as a member of Parliament and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Throughout its history, the surname BALIAN has been associated with nobility, military prowess, and commercial success, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balian

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

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

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

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