Bankhead
A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hill or ridge end.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,113 Americans carry the last name Bankhead. That puts it at #9,210 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 83,334 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bankhead surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
4.1K
1 in 83,334
Census rank
#9,210
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,540 bearers of the surname Bankhead in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9210th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bankhead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bankhead
The surname Bankhead has its origins in England, dating back to the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "banc" and "heafod," which together translate to "top of the hill" or "head of the slope." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a prominent geographical feature.
Records indicate that the Bankhead surname first appeared in the historical county of Lancashire in northern England. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1176, where a person named Adam de Bankheved is mentioned.
In the 13th century, the Bankhead surname began to spread to other parts of England, particularly to the neighboring counties of Yorkshire and Cheshire. The name is also found in various medieval manuscripts and records, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 and the Placita de Quo Warranto of 1292.
The Bankhead family established themselves as landowners and prominent figures in several English towns and villages. For instance, in the 14th century, a branch of the family owned lands in the village of Bankhead near Burnley in Lancashire.
Notable individuals with the Bankhead surname include:
1. John Bankhead (c. 1530-1601), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Preston during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. Sir James Bankhead (1610-1676), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles II.
3. Agnes Bankhead (1641-1714), an English Quaker author and activist who wrote several religious tracts and was imprisoned for her beliefs.
4. John Bankhead (1738-1833), an American soldier and pioneer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later helped establish settlements in Tennessee.
5. Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), an American actress of stage and screen, known for her husky voice and outrageous personality. She was a member of the prominent Bankhead family of Alabama.
While the Bankhead surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, due to immigration and migration patterns. However, its roots can be traced back to the hills and slopes of medieval Lancashire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bankhead
Among Census respondents with the surname Bankhead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bankhead bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bankhead surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American56.5%
- White38.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
- Two or more races2.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bankhead surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,210 | #9,210 | 0.0% |
| Count | 3,540 | 3,540 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.20 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Bankhead bearers went from 3,540 to 3,540 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #9,210 to #9,210.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bankhead
FAQ
Bankhead surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bankhead?
The surname Bankhead holds position #9,210 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,113 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bankhead surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bankhead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.