2000
#13,717
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,027
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.75
Rare Last name
Basil
A surname derived from the given name Basil, which originates from the Greek word for "royal" or "kingly."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,248 Americans carry the last name Basil. That puts it at #14,592 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 152,471 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Basil 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 Basil with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 152,471
Census rank
#14,592
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,960 bearers of the surname Basil in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14592nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Basil, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Basil
The surname "BASIL" originated in Greece during ancient times. It derives from the Greek word "basileus", meaning "king" or "sovereign". This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals of royal or noble lineage.
In the early medieval period, the name appears in various records and manuscripts from the Byzantine Empire. One notable example is a 10th century chronicle that mentions a Byzantine general named Basil Argyros, who led troops against the Bulgarians.
As the name spread across Europe, it took on different spellings and variations, such as "Basile" in French and "Basilio" in Italian. One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Basil in Gloucestershire, England.
In the 13th century, a prominent Italian family known as the Basilii rose to prominence in the city of Pavia. They were influential in the political and ecclesiastical affairs of the region, and several members held positions of power within the Catholic Church.
During the Renaissance, the surname "BASIL" was associated with several notable figures. Basil Bessarion (1403-1472) was a Greek scholar and Cardinal who played a significant role in the reunification efforts between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Another notable individual was Basil Valentine (c. 1394-c. 1492), a German philosopher and alchemist who made important contributions to the development of chemistry.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in the records of the English gentry. Sir Basil Brooke (c. 1576-1646) was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. Another notable figure was Basil Fielding (1584-1653), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
The surname "BASIL" has also been associated with several literary figures. Basil Overbury (1597-1668) was an English poet and clergyman, while Basil Hall (1788-1844) was a Scottish naval officer and travel writer known for his accounts of voyages in the Pacific.
Throughout its history, the surname "BASIL" has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including royalty, military leaders, scholars, and artists, reflecting its ancient Greek roots and association with nobility and authority.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Basil
Among Census respondents with the surname Basil, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Basil 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 Basil surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.7% · 1,405
- Black or African American11.1% · 218
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.5% · 166
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 98
- Two or more races3.2% · 62
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Basil
Basil 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
#13,088
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,344
+317 bearers (+15.6%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Up 629 places
2020
#14,592
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,960
-384 bearers (-16.4%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 1,504 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,717 | 2,027 | 0.75 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,088 | 2,344 | 0.79 | +317 bearers (+15.6%) | Up 629 places |
| 2020 | #14,592 | 1,960 | 0.66 | -384 bearers (-16.4%) | Down 1,504 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 Basil 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 | #13,088 | #14,592 | -11.5% |
| Count | 2,344 | 1,960 | -16.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 0.66 | -17.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Basil bearers went from 2,344 to 1,960 (-16.4% change). The surname moved down 1,504 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,088 to #14,592.
FAQ
Basil surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Basil?
Name Census estimates that about 2,248 living Americans carry the surname Basil. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 152,471 residents.
How common is Basil?
Basil ranks #14,592 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,960 people with the surname Basil. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,248), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Basil.
Has Basil become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Basil went from 2,344 recorded bearers to 1,960. That is a decrease of 384 (-16.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,088 to #14,592.
What does the Census say about the background of Basil?
Among Census respondents with the surname Basil, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.5%). 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 Basil in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.7% (1,405 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Basil appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.7%), Black (11.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.5%). 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 Basil (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 Basil mean?
A surname derived from the given name Basil, which originates from the Greek word for "royal" or "kingly." 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 Basil (0.66 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 are called Basil?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Basil at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.