2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Binu
A surname derived from the Hindi word "bindu" meaning a small particle or dot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 306 Americans carry the last name Binu. That puts it at #77,462 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,120,112 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Binu 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
306
1 in 1,120,112
Census rank
#77,462
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
267
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 267 bearers of the surname Binu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 77462nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Binu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%) and Black (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Binu
The surname BINU is believed to have originated in South India, specifically in the state of Kerala. It is thought to have derived from the Malayalam word "binu," which means "drop" or "droplet." The name may have been given to someone who lived near a body of water or had a connection to fishing or other water-related activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BINU surname can be found in ancient Tamil literature, where it is mentioned in the Sangam period (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE). The name is also found in various historical records and manuscripts from the region, such as the Travancore Royal Archives and the Calicut Records.
During the 16th century, a prominent figure named Binu Panicker served as a military commander under the Kingdom of Calicut. He played a significant role in defending the region against the Portuguese invasion. Another notable individual, Binu Nair, was a respected scholar and poet who lived in the 18th century and contributed to the literary traditions of Kerala.
In the 19th century, Binu Pillai was a renowned social reformer and educator who worked towards promoting education and uplifting marginalized communities in Kerala. His efforts helped establish several educational institutions and paved the way for social progress in the region.
Another notable BINU was Binu Velayudhan, a celebrated artist and sculptor from the early 20th century. His works, which showcased the rich cultural heritage of Kerala, are widely admired and exhibited in various museums and galleries across India.
In more recent times, Binu Pappu, a renowned writer and journalist, has made significant contributions to the literary and media landscape of Kerala. His works have explored various socio-political and cultural themes, earning him critical acclaim and recognition.
While the BINU surname may have originated in Kerala, it has since spread to other parts of India and across the globe due to migration and diaspora. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of South India, particularly in the state of Kerala.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Binu
Among Census respondents with the surname Binu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%) and Black (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Binu 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 Binu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander98.5% · 263
- White0.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
- Two or more races0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Binu
Binu 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
#77,462
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 267
+156 bearers (+140.5%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 70,885 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #77,462 | 267 | 0.09 | +156 bearers (+140.5%) | Up 70,885 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 Binu 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 | #148,347 | #77,462 | 47.8% |
| Count | 111 | 267 | 140.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.09 | 123.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Binu bearers went from 111 to 267 (+140.5% change). The surname moved up 70,885 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #77,462.
FAQ
Binu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Binu?
Name Census estimates that about 306 living Americans carry the surname Binu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,120,112 residents.
How common is Binu?
Binu ranks #77,462 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 267 people with the surname Binu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (306), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Binu.
Has Binu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Binu went from 111 recorded bearers to 267. That is an increase of 156 (+140.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #77,462.
What does the Census say about the background of Binu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Binu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 98.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%) and Black (0.4%). 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 Binu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.5% (263 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Binu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (98.5%), White (0.7%), Black (0.4%). 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 Binu (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 Binu mean?
A surname derived from the Hindi word "bindu" meaning a small particle or dot. 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 Binu (0.09 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 Binu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.