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

Bombay, 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 Bombay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bombay in America

Bombay is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bombay surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bombay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bombay 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 Bombay

The surname Bombay originates from the Indian subcontinent, specifically the city of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese phrase "Bom Bahia," meaning "good bay," referring to the natural harbor that the city is built around.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bombay dates back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese established a settlement on the islands that now make up the city. The name appears in various colonial records and documents from that period.

During the British rule in India, several notable figures bore the surname Bombay. One such individual was Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Bombay (1783-1859), a Parsi merchant and philanthropist who was knighted by Queen Victoria for his charitable works.

Another prominent figure was Sir Khurshedji Cama Bombay (1835-1909), a lawyer and judge who served as the first Indian member of the Bombay Legislative Council and played a crucial role in the establishment of the University of Bombay (now Mumbai University).

In the literary realm, Ardeshir Framji Bombay (1881-1949) was a well-known Parsi writer and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of Gujarati literature and drama.

The Bombay surname has also been associated with places and landmarks within the city itself. For instance, the Bombay Castle, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, was an important fortification during the early colonial period.

It is worth noting that the city's name was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995, reflecting the shift towards using more localized names. However, the surname Bombay continues to be used by some families with historical ties to the city.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bombay

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

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

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

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