2000
#114,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Balodis
A Latvian surname derived from the word "baložis" meaning a woodpecker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Balodis. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Balodis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Balodis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Balodis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Balodis
The surname Balodis originates from Latvia, a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. The name first appeared in the late 15th century and is derived from the Latvian word "balodis," which means "pigeon." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or occupational surname for someone who worked with pigeons or lived in an area with a significant pigeon population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Balodis surname can be found in the Vidzeme Census Revisions of the late 16th century, where several individuals with this last name were listed as residents of the Vidzeme region, now part of modern-day Latvia and Estonia. These census records provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution and prevalence of the Balodis name during that period.
In the 17th century, the Balodis surname appeared in various church records and land registries across Latvia, indicating its continued use and spread among the local population. Notable individuals from this era include Jānis Balodis (1610-1679), a prominent landowner and farmer in the Vidzeme region, and Matīss Balodis (1635-1712), a respected Lutheran pastor who served in several parishes throughout his lifetime.
During the 19th century, the Balodis name gained further recognition with the rise of prominent figures such as Krišjānis Balodis (1835-1904), a renowned Latvian writer and poet who played a significant role in the development of Latvian literature and cultural identity. His works, including poetry collections and novels, remain celebrated to this day.
Another notable individual was Jānis Balodis (1881-1965), a Latvian politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Latvia from 1934 to 1940. His leadership during a turbulent period in Latvian history earned him a place in the country's political annals.
In the 20th century, the Balodis surname continued to be represented by influential figures, such as Aleksandrs Balodis (1905-1992), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Riga, the capital of Latvia, and Jānis Balodis (1920-2005), a celebrated Latvian painter and artist recognized for his contributions to the development of modern Latvian art.
Throughout its history, the Balodis surname has maintained a strong presence in Latvia and has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including literature, politics, architecture, and the arts. While its origins can be traced back to the late 15th century, the name continues to be a prominent part of Latvian culture and identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Balodis
Among Census respondents with the surname Balodis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Balodis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Balodis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Balodis
Balodis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
-10 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,881 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-19 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,174 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #114,166 | 142 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 14,881 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 18,174 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Balodis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #129,047 | #147,221 | -14.1% |
| Count | 132 | 113 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Balodis bearers went from 132 to 113 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 18,174 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #147,221.
FAQ
Balodis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Balodis?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Balodis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Balodis?
Balodis ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Balodis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Balodis.
Has Balodis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Balodis went from 132 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 19 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Balodis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Balodis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Balodis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Balodis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Balodis (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Balodis mean?
A Latvian surname derived from the word "baložis" meaning a woodpecker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Balodis (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Balodis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.