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

Bias, 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 Bias surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bias in America

Bias is the 5339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bias surname appeared 6,518 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bias.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bias 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.

The history of the last name Bias

The surname BIAS finds its origins in Spain, where it emerged in the medieval era. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "bias," which means "oblique" or "slanted." This name likely referred to someone who lived or worked on a sloping or slanted piece of land, or perhaps someone with a physical characteristic that was considered oblique or slanted.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BIAS surname can be found in the Catalan region of Spain, where a reference to a "Guillem Bias" appears in a document dated 1275. This suggests that the name was already established in the area by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the BIAS surname appears to have spread to other parts of Spain, as evidenced by records from the city of Seville. A document from 1382 mentions a "Pedro Bias" who was a landowner in the region.

As the BIAS family grew and dispersed throughout Spain, variations in spelling emerged, including "Biaz," "Byas," and "Bias." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time.

One notable figure in the BIAS lineage was Juan Bias, a Spanish explorer and navigator born in 1520 in Seville. Juan Bias accompanied several expeditions to the New World and is credited with mapping some of the coastal regions of present-day Colombia and Venezuela.

Another prominent individual with the BIAS surname was Francisca Bias (1592-1673), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Order of the Immaculate Conception in Granada. She gained renown for her religious writings and was later beatified by the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, the BIAS surname made its way to the Americas, carried by Spanish colonists and settlers. One notable example is Juan Antonio Bias (1635-1712), a Spanish soldier and landowner who established a hacienda in what is now Mexico.

As the BIAS surname spread across the globe, it also found its way to other parts of Europe, including France, where it was recorded as "Biais" in some regions. Jean-Baptiste Biais (1758-1823) was a French painter and engraver who became known for his portraits and historical scenes.

In the 19th century, the BIAS surname appears in records from various parts of the world, reflecting the widespread migration and diaspora of Spanish families. One example is José Bias (1818-1892), a Cuban poet and journalist who was part of the literary movement known as "El Siboney."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bias

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

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 Bias was:

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

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

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

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