2000
#5,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,580
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.07
Rare Last name
Bane
A nickname-derived surname referring to a person who caused harm, injury, or ruin to others.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,977 Americans carry the last name Bane. That puts it at #6,280 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,346 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bane 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bane with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.0K
1 in 57,346
Census rank
#6,280
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,212 bearers of the surname Bane in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6280th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bane, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bane
The surname Bane has its origins in medieval England, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bana," meaning "slayer" or "destruction." This surname likely originated as a descriptive name for a fierce warrior or someone known for their bold and destructive nature.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bane can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. One notable example is the mention of a William Bane in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1203. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list several individuals with the surname Bane, such as Adam le Bane and Roger le Bane, residing in various regions of England.
In the 14th century, the surname Bane appeared in several medieval manuscripts and chronicles. The Chancery Rolls of 1389 recorded a John Bane from Oxfordshire, while the Poll Tax Records of 1379 listed a Thomas Bane from Yorkshire. These historical documents provide valuable insights into the geographical distribution and prevalence of the surname during that era.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Bane was Sir John Bane (1380-1445), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry from Gloucestershire. Another prominent figure was Richard Bane (1494-1561), a respected scholar and theologian who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Bane was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Sir Walter Bane (1548-1623), a renowned English naval commander who played a significant role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Another notable figure was William Bane (1625-1680), a successful merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Bristol.
In the 18th century, the surname Bane was linked to several literary figures. One notable example was John Bane (1715-1792), an English poet and playwright who gained recognition for his satirical works. Additionally, the surname was associated with the Bane family of Gloucestershire, which included several prominent landowners and members of the local gentry.
Throughout its history, the surname Bane has also been linked to various place names and locations across England. For instance, the village of Baneham in Gloucestershire was once known as "Bane's Ham," suggesting a connection to an early bearer of the surname. Similarly, the hamlet of Banehill in Berkshire was likely named after an individual or family with the surname Bane.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bane
Among Census respondents with the surname Bane, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Bane 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 Bane surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 4,621
- Two or more races3.7% · 192
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 160
- Black or African American3.0% · 154
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 48
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 37
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bane
Bane 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
#6,127
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,591
+11 bearers (+0.2%)
Per 100,000 1.90
Rank movement Down 427 places
2020
#6,280
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,212
-379 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 1.74
Rank movement Down 153 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,700 | 5,580 | 2.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,127 | 5,591 | 1.90 | +11 bearers (+0.2%) | Down 427 places |
| 2020 | #6,280 | 5,212 | 1.74 | -379 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 153 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 Bane 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 | #6,127 | #6,280 | -2.5% |
| Count | 5,591 | 5,212 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.90 | 1.74 | -8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bane bearers went from 5,591 to 5,212 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 153 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,127 to #6,280.
FAQ
Bane surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bane?
Name Census estimates that about 5,977 living Americans carry the surname Bane. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 57,346 residents.
How common is Bane?
Bane ranks #6,280 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,212 people with the surname Bane. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,977), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Bane.
Has Bane become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bane went from 5,591 recorded bearers to 5,212. That is a decrease of 379 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,127 to #6,280.
What does the Census say about the background of Bane?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bane, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Bane in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (4,621 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bane appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Bane (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 Bane mean?
A nickname-derived surname referring to a person who caused harm, injury, or ruin to others. 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 Bane (1.74 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 Americans have the surname Bane?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.