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

Bányai, 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 Bányai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bányai in America

Bányai is the 53204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bányai surname appeared 389 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 Bányai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bányai 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 Bányai

The surname Banyai originates from Hungary, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Hungarian word "banya," which means "mine" or "quarry," suggesting a potential occupational origin for those who worked in mines or quarries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Banyai can be found in the Váradi Regestrum, a medieval register of legal cases from the 13th century in the region of Bihar, Hungary. This document mentions individuals with the surname Banyai, indicating their presence in the area during that time.

In the 15th century, records from the town of Nagybánya (now part of Romania) show several families with the surname Banyai residing there. Nagybánya, which translates to "Big Mine," was a significant mining center during the Middle Ages, further reinforcing the connection between the name and mining activities.

Notable individuals with the surname Banyai throughout history include Janos Banyai (1886-1971), a Hungarian painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits. Another prominent figure was Miklos Banyai (1912-1994), a Hungarian-American mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of information theory.

In the literary world, Istvan Banyai (1755-1837) was a Hungarian writer and translator who played a role in the revival of the Hungarian language and literature during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The name Banyai has also been associated with various place names in Hungary and surrounding regions. For example, the village of Bányanevölgy (meaning "Mine Valley") in northeastern Hungary was likely named after individuals with the Banyai surname who lived or worked in the area's mines.

While the surname Banyai is not among the most common in Hungary today, it has a rich historical background that reflects the country's mining heritage and the occupations of those who bore this name in past centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bányai

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

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

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

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