2000
#12,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,257
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.84
Rare Last name
Bara
A surname possibly originating from the French word "barré", meaning "striped" or "checked".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,500 Americans carry the last name Bara. That puts it at #20,515 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 228,503 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bara 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 Bara with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.5K
1 in 228,503
Census rank
#20,515
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,308 bearers of the surname Bara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20515th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bara, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bara
The surname Bara has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of Punjab. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "vara," which means "excellent" or "superior."
In ancient Indian texts and manuscripts, the name Bara can be found mentioned in various contexts. One notable reference is in the Puranic literature, where it is associated with individuals of great valor and wisdom. The name has also been recorded in historical chronicles and genealogical records of prominent families from the region.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bara was Raja Bara Singh, a renowned warrior and ruler of the Bara clan in the 16th century. His legacy is celebrated in local folklore and oral traditions, and his name is often invoked as a symbol of courage and leadership.
Another significant figure bearing the Bara surname was Guru Angad Dev, the second Guru of the Sikh faith, who lived from 1504 to 1552. He was born as Lehna Bara and played a pivotal role in the development and spread of Sikhism during his lifetime.
In the 17th century, the Bara surname gained prominence through the military exploits of Bhai Bara Singh, a revered Sikh warrior who fought against the Mughal Empire. His bravery and devotion to the faith have been immortalized in various historical accounts and literary works.
During the 18th century, the Bara clan held significant influence in the region of Punjab, with several notable chieftains and landowners bearing the surname. One such figure was Sardar Bara Singh, a powerful landowner and military commander who played a crucial role in the consolidation of Sikh power during that period.
Throughout the centuries, the Bara surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, and artists. For instance, the renowned Punjabi poet and writer Dhani Ram Bara, who lived in the 19th century, made significant contributions to the literary heritage of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bara
Among Census respondents with the surname Bara, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bara 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 Bara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.7% · 794
- Hispanic or Latino28.7% · 376
- Two or more races3.8% · 50
- Black or African American3.7% · 49
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 34
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bara
Bara 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
#15,792
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,844
-413 bearers (-18.3%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 3,202 places
2020
#20,515
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,308
-536 bearers (-29.1%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Down 4,723 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,590 | 2,257 | 0.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,792 | 1,844 | 0.63 | -413 bearers (-18.3%) | Down 3,202 places |
| 2020 | #20,515 | 1,308 | 0.44 | -536 bearers (-29.1%) | Down 4,723 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 Bara 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 | #15,792 | #20,515 | -29.9% |
| Count | 1,844 | 1,308 | -29.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.63 | 0.44 | -30.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bara bearers went from 1,844 to 1,308 (-29.1% change). The surname moved down 4,723 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,792 to #20,515.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bara
FAQ
Bara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bara?
Name Census estimates that about 1,500 living Americans carry the surname Bara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 228,503 residents.
How common is Bara?
Bara ranks #20,515 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.44 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 1,308 people with the surname Bara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,500), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.44 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 Bara.
Has Bara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bara went from 1,844 recorded bearers to 1,308. That is a decrease of 536 (-29.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,792 to #20,515.
What does the Census say about the background of Bara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bara, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Bara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.7% (794 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.7%), Hispanic (28.7%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Bara (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 Bara mean?
A surname possibly originating from the French word "barré", meaning "striped" or "checked". 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 Bara (0.44 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 Bara?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.