Baye
A French surname likely derived from the Old French word "baie" meaning "bay" or "berry."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 788 Americans carry the last name Baye. That puts it at #33,645 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 434,967 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Baye surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
788
1 in 434,967
Census rank
#33,645
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
677
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 677 bearers of the surname Baye in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 33645th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Baye, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Baye
The surname BAYE is of French origin and is believed to have originated in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas around Normandy and Brittany. The name is derived from the Old French word "baie," which means "bay" or "inlet of the sea." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a bay or coastal inlet.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BAYE can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de la Baye," indicating that it was likely held by a Norman family residing near a bay or coastal area.
In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Guillaume de Baye is mentioned in the chronicles of the Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris. He was a knight and landowner who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under the command of King Richard I of England.
Another notable bearer of the name was Jean de Baye, a French poet and author who lived in the 15th century. He is best known for his work "Le Roman de la Rose," a famous medieval allegorical poem.
During the 16th century, the BAYE surname appeared in records from the Duchy of Normandy, where it was sometimes spelled as "Bayeux" or "Bayé." This variation in spelling likely reflects the regional dialects and local pronunciations of the name.
In the 17th century, a French explorer and navigator named Pierre LeBaye (1620-1686) gained recognition for his voyages to North America and the Caribbean. He was one of the first Europeans to map and chart the coastlines of parts of present-day Canada and the United States.
Another notable figure was François-Joseph Baye (1743-1820), a French architect and urban planner who designed many notable buildings and public spaces in Paris, including the Palais de la Bourse (Stock Exchange) and the Fontaine des Innocents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Baye
Among Census respondents with the surname Baye, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Baye bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Baye surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.2%
- Black or African American15.4%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Two or more races0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Baye surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,645 | #33,645 | 0.0% |
| Count | 677 | 677 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Baye bearers went from 677 to 677 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #33,645 to #33,645.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Baye
FAQ
Baye surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Baye?
The surname Baye holds position #33,645 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 788 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Baye surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Baye, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.