2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bayda
Arabic surname meaning "white" or "pale."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Bayda. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bayda 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Bayda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bayda, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bayda
The surname BAYDA is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Lebanon. It is derived from the Arabic word "bayda," which translates to "white" or "pale." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone with a fair complexion or light-colored hair.
The earliest recorded instances of the BAYDA surname can be traced back to the 12th century, during the time of the Crusades. It is mentioned in several medieval manuscripts and records from the region, often in reference to individuals who were part of the local population or who had interactions with the Crusaders.
One notable historical figure with the BAYDA surname was Rashid al-Bayda, a 13th-century scholar and philosopher from Aleppo, Syria. He was renowned for his contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics, and his works were widely studied in the Islamic world during that time.
In the 14th century, a merchant named Yusuf al-Bayda is mentioned in the records of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and Syria. He is described as a successful trader who conducted business throughout the Mediterranean region, further indicating the presence of the BAYDA surname in the Middle East during that era.
Another notable figure was Fatima al-Bayda, a 16th-century poet and writer from Damascus, Syria. Her poetry and literary works were widely acclaimed and contributed to the rich cultural heritage of the region.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over the Middle East, the BAYDA surname continued to appear in various records and documents. One such individual was Ibrahim al-Bayda, a 17th-century Ottoman military commander who was involved in several campaigns in the Levant region.
As the centuries passed, the BAYDA surname spread beyond the Middle East, with individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of the world. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Arabic-speaking regions of the Middle East.
It is important to note that while this report provides a general overview of the surname BAYDA and its historical context, there may be variations and additional information specific to individual family histories and lineages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bayda
Among Census respondents with the surname Bayda, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bayda 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 Bayda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bayda
Bayda 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+7 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 4,465 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 Bayda 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 | #147,253 | #142,788 | 3.0% |
| Count | 112 | 119 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bayda bearers went from 112 to 119 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 4,465 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #142,788.
FAQ
Bayda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bayda?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Bayda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Bayda?
Bayda ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Bayda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Bayda.
Has Bayda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bayda went from 112 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 7 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Bayda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bayda, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.5%). 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 Bayda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bayda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (5.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.5%). 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 Bayda (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 Bayda mean?
Arabic surname meaning "white" or "pale." 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 Bayda (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 Bayda?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Bayda is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.