2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Baula
A colloquial Spanish term referring to a large bundle or parcel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Baula. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Baula 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Baula in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Baula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.0%) and Two or More Races (8.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Baula
The surname BAULA has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the region of Catalonia, which spans parts of northeastern Spain and southeastern France. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.
The name BAULA is thought to be derived from the Catalan word "baula," which means "link" or "ring." This connection suggests that the surname may have initially referred to an occupation or trade related to metalworking or blacksmithing, where the creation of links or rings was a common task.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BAULA surname can be found in the "Llibre del Repartiment," a historical document from the 13th century that documented the distribution of lands and properties in the Kingdom of Valencia following the Christian conquest. This record mentions individuals with the surname BAULA residing in various parts of the region.
In the 14th century, the BAULA name appeared in the "Llibre de Valències," a census-like document that recorded the inhabitants of the city of Valencia. This suggests that the BAULA family had established a presence in this important urban center during that time period.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the BAULA surname. One such figure was Pere BAULA, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in Barcelona in the late 15th century. He was known for his successful business ventures and his involvement in the city's economic affairs.
Another notable BAULA was Joana BAULA, a renowned painter from the 16th century who hailed from the town of Girona. Her works, which were primarily religious in nature, can still be found adorning the walls of several churches and monasteries in the region.
In the realm of literature, the name BAULA is associated with Jaume BAULA, a Catalan poet and playwright who lived during the 17th century. His plays and poems, which often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars today.
Moving into the 18th century, the BAULA surname gained prominence in the field of medicine with the renowned physician and researcher Josep BAULA. Born in Tarragona in 1712, he made significant contributions to the understanding of infectious diseases and played a pivotal role in establishing quarantine protocols during outbreaks.
Lastly, in the realm of politics, the name BAULA is linked to Eulàlia BAULA, a prominent figure in the Catalan nationalist movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was an outspoken advocate for Catalan independence and played a crucial role in raising awareness about the region's cultural and linguistic identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Baula
Among Census respondents with the surname Baula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.0%) and Two or More Races (8.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Baula 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 Baula surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander76.1% · 89
- White12.0% · 14
- Two or more races8.5% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Baula
Baula appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Up 6,182 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 Baula 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 | #150,452 | #144,270 | 4.1% |
| Count | 109 | 117 | 7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Baula bearers went from 109 to 117 (+7.3% change). The surname moved up 6,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #144,270.
FAQ
Baula surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Baula?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Baula. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Baula?
Baula ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Baula. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Baula.
Has Baula become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Baula went from 109 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 8 (+7.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Baula?
Among Census respondents with the surname Baula, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (12.0%) and Two or More Races (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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Baula in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Baula appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (76.1%), White (12.0%), Two or More Races (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 Baula (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 Baula mean?
A colloquial Spanish term referring to a large bundle or parcel. 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 Baula (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 people have the last name Baula?
Find out how many people have the surname Baula on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.