2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bastain
An anglicized form of the French Bastien or the German Bastian, meaning "revered" or "venerable one."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Bastain. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bastain 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.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Bastain in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bastain, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bastain
The surname Bastain originates from France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "bastien," which means "steadfast" or "constant." This name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for someone known for their unwavering determination or resolute nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bastain can be found in the 13th-century Cartulary of Notre-Dame de Paris, where a certain Jehan Bastain is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Montmartre. The name also appears in various medieval records from the regions of Normandy and Picardy.
During the 16th century, the Bastain surname gained prominence in the town of Dieppe, a prominent port in Normandy. Records indicate that a family of shipbuilders and merchants bearing this name played a significant role in the local economy and maritime trade.
A notable figure in French history was Jacques Bastain (1528-1596), a Catholic priest and theologian who served as the confessor to King Henry IV. Bastain was known for his efforts in reconciling the Catholic and Protestant factions during the French Wars of Religion.
In the 17th century, the Bastain name spread to other parts of Europe as French Huguenots fled religious persecution. One such example is Pierre Bastain (1630-1705), a Calvinist minister who sought refuge in the Netherlands and later became a prominent figure in the Dutch Reformed Church.
Another individual of note was François Bastain (1701-1784), a French soldier and explorer who accompanied the famous navigator Louis-Antoine de Bougainville on his voyages to the Pacific. Bastain's detailed accounts of the expeditions provided valuable insights into the flora, fauna, and indigenous cultures encountered during their travels.
In the 19th century, the name Bastain gained recognition in the field of literature with the French novelist and dramatist Alphonse Bastain (1822-1888). His works, which often explored themes of love and social commentary, were widely popular during his lifetime and influenced subsequent generations of French writers.
While the Bastain surname has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. Despite its varied geographical distribution, the name continues to carry the essence of its original meaning, reflecting the steadfast and constant nature associated with its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bastain
Among Census respondents with the surname Bastain, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bastain 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 Bastain surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.2% · 82
- Black or African American22.3% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bastain
Bastain 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+3 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,045 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-9 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,650 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 6,045 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 9,650 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 Bastain 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 | #138,304 | #147,954 | -7.0% |
| Count | 121 | 112 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bastain bearers went from 121 to 112 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 9,650 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #147,954.
FAQ
Bastain surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bastain?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Bastain. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Bastain?
Bastain ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Bastain. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Bastain.
Has Bastain become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bastain went from 121 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Bastain?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bastain, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Bastain in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.2% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bastain appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.2%), Black (22.3%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Bastain (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 Bastain mean?
An anglicized form of the French Bastien or the German Bastian, meaning "revered" or "venerable one." 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 Bastain (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Bastain?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.