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

Basarab, 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 Basarab surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Basarab in America

Basarab is the 87335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Basarab surname appeared 213 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 Basarab.

We can also compare 2010 data for Basarab 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 Basarab

The surname BASARAB originated in Romania in the 14th century. It is derived from the Old Romanian words "Bas" meaning "leader" and "Arab" meaning "Arab," which together refer to the founder of the Basarab dynasty, a line of rulers in the historical region of Wallachia.

The name first appeared in medieval chronicles and documents related to the Basarab rulers, such as Basarab I, who reigned from 1310 to 1352. The earliest known spelling was "Basarabă," which was the Romanian rendering of the name.

In the 15th century, the name was recorded in various forms, including "Bazarab," "Baszarab," and "Bassaraba," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time. Several notable figures bore this surname, such as Basarab II, who ruled Wallachia from 1442 to 1443.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BASARAB name was associated with prominent noble families in Wallachia and Moldavia, two historical principalities that later became part of modern-day Romania. One notable bearer of the name was Basarab Brâncoveanu (1654-1714), a Prince of Wallachia known for his cultural patronage and diplomatic efforts.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the BASARAB surname spread beyond the borders of Romania, as members of the noble families migrated or established connections in other parts of Europe. For instance, Prince Grigore Basarab (1786-1842) served as a military leader in the Russian Empire.

Another notable figure was Nicolae Basarab (1847-1924), a Romanian politician and writer who played a significant role in the movement for Romanian independence and the unification of the principalities.

Throughout its history, the BASARAB surname has been closely tied to the legacy of the Basarab dynasty and the cultural heritage of Romania. While its origins can be traced back to the 14th century, the name continues to be carried by individuals of Romanian descent around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Basarab

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

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

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

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