2010
#66,553
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 297
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Biju
An Indian surname originating from the word "vijaya" meaning victory or conquerer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 705 Americans carry the last name Biju. That puts it at #38,716 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 486,176 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Biju 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 Biju with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
705
1 in 486,176
Census rank
#38,716
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
615
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 615 bearers of the surname Biju in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38716th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Biju, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Biju
The surname Biju is believed to have originated in India, specifically in the state of Kerala. The name is derived from the Malayalam word "biju," which means "seed" or "essence." The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 16th century.
In the historical records of the Nair community, a prominent Hindu caste in Kerala, there are mentions of individuals bearing the surname Biju. These records often referred to them as "Biju Nair," indicating their caste affiliation. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Thrissur and Palakkad, where the Nair community had a strong presence.
One of the earliest known references to the name Biju can be found in the "Keralolpatti," an ancient Malayalam text that chronicles the history of Kerala. The text mentions a Biju Nair who was a prominent figure in the 16th century and played a role in the establishment of the Zamorin dynasty, which ruled over parts of modern-day Kerala and Karnataka.
In the 17th century, there are records of a Biju Nair who served as a high-ranking military commander in the army of the Travancore Kingdom. His bravery and strategic skills were widely acclaimed, and he is mentioned in several historical texts of that era.
Another notable figure with the surname Biju was Biju Patnaik (1916-1997), a renowned Indian politician and statesman. He served as the Chief Minister of Orissa (now Odisha) and played a crucial role in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union after independence. Patnaik was also a successful industrialist and aviator, known for his daring exploits during World War II.
In the literary world, Biju K. Narayanan (born 1958) is a prominent author and poet from Kerala. His works, written in Malayalam, have been widely acclaimed and have received several prestigious awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.
Biju Menon (born 1971) is a well-known actor in the Malayalam film industry. He has appeared in numerous popular movies and has gained a reputation for his versatile acting skills and comic timing. Menon has received several awards and accolades for his contributions to Malayalam cinema.
It is worth noting that while the surname Biju is predominantly found in Kerala, it has also spread to other parts of India over time, particularly through migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of Kerala and its historical significance in that region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Biju
Among Census respondents with the surname Biju, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Biju 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 Biju surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander97.4% · 599
- White0.8% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 3
- Two or more races0.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Biju
Biju 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
#38,716
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 615
+318 bearers (+107.1%)
Per 100,000 0.21
Rank movement Up 27,837 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #66,553 | 297 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #38,716 | 615 | 0.21 | +318 bearers (+107.1%) | Up 27,837 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 Biju 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 | #66,553 | #38,716 | 41.8% |
| Count | 297 | 615 | 107.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.21 | 105.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Biju bearers went from 297 to 615 (+107.1% change). The surname moved up 27,837 positions in the national ranking, going from #66,553 to #38,716.
FAQ
Biju surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Biju?
Name Census estimates that about 705 living Americans carry the surname Biju. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 486,176 residents.
How common is Biju?
Biju ranks #38,716 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.21 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 615 people with the surname Biju. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (705), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.21 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.21 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 Biju.
Has Biju become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Biju went from 297 recorded bearers to 615. That is an increase of 318 (+107.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #66,553 to #38,716.
What does the Census say about the background of Biju?
Among Census respondents with the surname Biju, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 97.4%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Biju in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (599 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Biju appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (97.4%), White (0.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Biju (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 Biju mean?
An Indian surname originating from the word "vijaya" meaning victory or conquerer. 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 Biju (0.21 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 share the surname Biju?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.