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

Ballay, 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 Ballay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ballay in America

Ballay is the 67519th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ballay surname appeared 292 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 Ballay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ballay 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 Ballay

The surname BALLAY is of French origin, first appearing around the 11th century in the northern regions of France. It is derived from the Old French word "baillie," meaning a jurisdictional district or administrative area. This suggests that early bearers of the name may have been officials or administrators overseeing a particular baillie.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Here, the name appears as "Baillay," likely referring to a Norman landowner or official who accompanied William during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name can be found in various charters and rolls from the regions of Picardy and Normandy in northern France. One notable bearer was Jean Ballay, a wealthy merchant from Rouen who funded the construction of a chapel in the city's cathedral in 1276.

The name spread across Europe in the following centuries, with various spellings emerging in different regions. In Italy, the name appeared as "Bailetti" or "Bailletti," while in Spain it took the form of "Baillez" or "Baillez."

One of the most famous bearers of the name was François Ballay, a French philosopher and theologian born in 1624. He was a prominent figure during the Age of Enlightenment and authored several influential works on natural philosophy and religious tolerance.

Another notable individual was Marie-Étienne Ballay, a French military officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1778, he rose through the ranks and was awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur for his bravery in battle.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the arts with the English painter John Ballay (1812-1888), known for his landscapes and portraits. His works can be found in several prestigious collections, including the Tate Gallery in London.

The name also has a presence in literature, with the French author Marcel Ballay (1875-1941) making significant contributions to the avant-garde movement of the early 20th century. His experimental novels and poetry challenged traditional literary conventions.

Finally, one cannot overlook the achievements of the Swiss mathematician and physicist Jacques Ballay (1901-1978), whose groundbreaking work on quantum mechanics and particle physics earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Wolf Prize in 1978.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ballay

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

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

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

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