2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bham
A variant spelling of the surname Bhame, originating from the Sanskrit term meaning earth or land.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 155 Americans carry the last name Bham. That puts it at #131,120 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,211,318 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bham 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 Bham with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
155
1 in 2,211,318
Census rank
#131,120
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
135
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 135 bearers of the surname Bham in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 131120th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bham, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bham
The surname BHAM originates from England, with its roots tracing back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beam," which means a tree or a post. The name was likely first adopted by individuals who lived near a prominent tree or a wooden structure, or perhaps worked with wood in some capacity.
The earliest recorded instances of the name BHAM can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Somerset, suggesting that the name may have originated in the West Midlands region of England.
In the 13th century, the name BHAM appeared in various forms, such as Beame, Beam, and Beaume, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that era. One notable figure bearing this name was John Bham, a wealthy landowner in Somerset, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1230.
During the 14th century, the surname BHAM became more widespread across England, and several place names were derived from it, including Beamhurst in Staffordshire and Beamsley in Yorkshire. This suggests that individuals with the name BHAM may have established settlements or owned significant properties in these areas.
In the 15th century, a prominent figure named William BHAM (c. 1430-1495) was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London, a powerful guild of textile merchants. He was known for his success in the wool trade and his philanthropic contributions to the city.
Another notable individual was Sir John BHAM (c. 1520-1578), a successful merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes with the Netherlands and played a significant role in the development of the English wool industry.
Moving into the 17th century, the surname BHAM continued to be found across England, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields. One such person was Thomas BHAM (1638-1701), a renowned botanist and naturalist who published several influential works on the flora of England.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the BHAM surname was carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, musicians, and writers. One notable figure was the painter William BHAM (1776-1848), whose landscapes and portraits were highly regarded during the Romantic era.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the surname BHAM throughout history, reflecting its rich heritage and the contributions made by those who bore this name across various realms of human endeavor.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bham
Among Census respondents with the surname Bham, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Two or More Races (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bham 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 Bham surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander98.5% · 133
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
- Two or more races0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bham
Bham 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
#131,120
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+17 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 10,020 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #131,120 | 135 | 0.05 | +17 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 10,020 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 Bham 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 | #141,140 | #131,120 | 7.1% |
| Count | 118 | 135 | 14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 12.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bham bearers went from 118 to 135 (+14.4% change). The surname moved up 10,020 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #131,120.
FAQ
Bham surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bham?
Name Census estimates that about 155 living Americans carry the surname Bham. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,211,318 residents.
How common is Bham?
Bham ranks #131,120 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 135 people with the surname Bham. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (155), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Bham.
Has Bham become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bham went from 118 recorded bearers to 135. That is an increase of 17 (+14.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #141,140 to #131,120.
What does the Census say about the background of Bham?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bham, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Bham in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.5% (133 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bham appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (98.5%), Black (0.7%), Two or More Races (0.7%). 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 Bham (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 Bham mean?
A variant spelling of the surname Bhame, originating from the Sanskrit term meaning earth or land. 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 Bham (0.05 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 surname Bham?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.