Baugh last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Baugh

From Old English meaning "a ring-shaped area of firm ground in a marsh or bog."

Baugh, 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 Baugh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baugh in America

Baugh is the 2873rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baugh surname appeared 12,543 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Baugh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baugh 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 2873 2721 5.43%
Count 12,543 12,152 3.17%
Proportion per 100k 4.25 4.50 -5.71%

The history of the last name Baugh

The surname Baugh originates from England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beag," meaning "ring" or "bracelet," suggesting a possible occupational connection to someone who made or sold rings or bracelets.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Baga" in Worcestershire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the 13th century, the name Baugh was prominent in the county of Staffordshire, particularly in the village of Bagots Bromley, which may have contributed to the surname's development. Historical records from this period include mentions of individuals such as William de Bagot (born c. 1230) and Sir John Bagot (c. 1275 - 1343), who held land and titles in the area.

As the name spread across England, it took on various spellings, including Baugh, Bough, Baughe, and Bagh. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies of scribal records at the time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Baugh was Robert Baugh (c. 1620 - 1667), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the Commonwealth period. He was a supporter of Oliver Cromwell and played a role in the events leading up to the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Thomas Baugh (1725 - 1803) was a prominent British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Monmouth and the Assembly Rooms in Bath.

Another individual of note was William Baugh (1790 - 1845), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral.

In the literary world, Edward Baugh (born 1936) is a renowned Jamaican poet, literary critic, and scholar who has made significant contributions to Caribbean literature and cultural studies.

Finally, Robert Baugh (1928 - 2008) was an influential American linguist and scholar who specialized in the history of the English language. His seminal work, "A History of the English Language," published in 1951, is considered a standard reference in the field.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baugh

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

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 Baugh was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 74.57% 9,353
Non-Hispanic Black Only 19.93% 2,500
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.66% 83
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.69% 87
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.10% 263
Hispanic Origin 2.06% 258

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 Baugh has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 74.57% 76.97% -3.17%
Black 19.93% 18.84% 5.62%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.66% 0.39% 51.43%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.69% 0.59% 15.63%
Two or More Races 2.10% 1.74% 18.75%
Hispanic 2.06% 1.46% 34.09%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Baugh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 9, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/baugh-surname-popularity/.

"Baugh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/baugh-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 October, 2024

Baugh last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/baugh-surname-popularity/.

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