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

Banu, 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 Banu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Banu in America

Banu is the 39555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Banu surname appeared 556 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 Banu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Banu 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 Banu

The surname BANU is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, derived from the Persian word "ban" meaning "lady" or "mistress". It is a title that was commonly used to refer to noblewomen or members of the aristocracy in the medieval period.

BANU can be traced back to the Mughal Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. The name was often given to Muslim women of noble birth or high social standing during that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BANU can be found in the Akbarnama, a 16th-century biographical account of the life and reign of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor. The text mentions several women with the title "Banu" who were members of the imperial household or relatives of the emperor.

Another notable historical figure with the surname BANU was Banu Begum, a 17th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Aurangzeb. She was known for her poetry and literary pursuits, and her contributions to the cultural life of the Mughal court.

In the 18th century, a woman named Banu Zamaniya was a prominent poet and scholar who lived in the city of Lucknow, which was a center of culture and learning during the Nawabi era.

Moving to the 19th century, Banu Mian was a renowned courtesan and poet in the city of Agra, known for her wit and her contributions to the Urdu literary tradition.

Another notable figure with the surname BANU was Banu Apa, a 19th-century educator and social reformer from the city of Pune. She played a significant role in promoting women's education and empowerment in the region.

Throughout history, the surname BANU has been associated with individuals of high social status, nobility, and literary or artistic accomplishments, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Mughal Empire, where it was used as a title for noblewomen and members of the aristocracy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Banu

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

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

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

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