2000
#7,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,311
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.60
Rare Last name
Batchelder
An occupational surname referring to a baker or a person in charge of the bakery.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,582 Americans carry the last name Batchelder. That puts it at #7,952 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,805 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Batchelder 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 Batchelder with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 74,805
Census rank
#7,952
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,996 bearers of the surname Batchelder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7952nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Batchelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Batchelder
The surname Batchelder is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "bæcere," which means "baker," and the suffix "-eld," which denotes an occupation or a person's age. Thus, the name Batchelder literally translates to "an elder baker" or "an old baker."
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Batchelder can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire, England, dating back to 1196, where it was spelled as "Bacheldre." This document mentions a person named Radulfus Bacheldre, indicating the presence of the surname in the region during that time.
Throughout the centuries, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Bachelder, Bacheldor, Bacheldur, and Batchelour, before settling on the modern spelling of Batchelder. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions and the influence of different dialects in different regions.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Batchelder was Reverend Stephen Batchelder, who was born in 1561 in Derbyshire, England. He played a significant role in the early colonial days of New England, serving as a minister in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and contributing to the establishment of the town's church.
Another prominent individual was Samuel Batchelder, who was born in 1715 in Wilton, New Hampshire. He served as a soldier during the French and Indian War and later fought in the American Revolutionary War, earning recognition for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the literary realm, the surname Batchelder is associated with Charles Foster Batchelder, an American writer, and poet born in 1856 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is best known for his works on New England history and culture, including his book titled "The Batchelder Genealogy."
A notable figure in the field of education was Ann Batchelder, born in 1891 in Massachusetts. She dedicated her life to teaching and served as the principal of several schools in the state, making significant contributions to the education system.
Lastly, John Batchelder, born in 1784 in New Hampshire, was a prominent businessman and industrialist. He established a successful manufacturing company that produced various household and agricultural products, playing a vital role in the economic development of the region.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Batchelder throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Batchelder
Among Census respondents with the surname Batchelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Batchelder 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 Batchelder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 3,640
- Two or more races4.0% · 160
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 124
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 26
- Black or African American0.6% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Batchelder
Batchelder 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
#7,377
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,517
+206 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.53
Rank movement Down 228 places
2020
#7,952
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,996
-521 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 1.34
Rank movement Down 575 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,149 | 4,311 | 1.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,377 | 4,517 | 1.53 | +206 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 228 places |
| 2020 | #7,952 | 3,996 | 1.34 | -521 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 575 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 Batchelder 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 | #7,377 | #7,952 | -7.8% |
| Count | 4,517 | 3,996 | -11.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.53 | 1.34 | -12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Batchelder bearers went from 4,517 to 3,996 (-11.5% change). The surname moved down 575 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,377 to #7,952.
FAQ
Batchelder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Batchelder?
Name Census estimates that about 4,582 living Americans carry the surname Batchelder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,805 residents.
How common is Batchelder?
Batchelder ranks #7,952 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.34 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 3,996 people with the surname Batchelder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,582), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.34 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.34 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 Batchelder.
Has Batchelder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Batchelder went from 4,517 recorded bearers to 3,996. That is a decrease of 521 (-11.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,377 to #7,952.
What does the Census say about the background of Batchelder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Batchelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Batchelder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (3,640 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Batchelder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Batchelder (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 Batchelder mean?
An occupational surname referring to a baker or a person in charge of the bakery. 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 Batchelder (1.34 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 Batchelder?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.