Born
Derived from Middle English and Old Norse, referring to a person dwelling at or near a stream or brook.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,883 Americans carry the last name Born. That puts it at #5,168 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 43,480 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Born surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
7.9K
1 in 43,480
Census rank
#5,168
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,771 bearers of the surname Born in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5168th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Born, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Born
The surname Born is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Born," which means "well" or "spring," and may have initially referred to someone who lived near a well or spring.
The name is first recorded in various German records and documents from the 14th century, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of official documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Johann Born, mentioned in a document from 1342 in the town of Nuremberg.
As the name spread throughout Germany, it developed different spellings and variations, including Borne, Bornemann, and Borner. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the influence of local scribes who recorded names based on their pronunciation.
The name Born is also associated with several notable historical figures. One such figure is the German composer and musician, Johann Born (1677-1748), known for his contributions to the development of the bassoon and his compositions for wind instruments.
Another prominent individual with the surname Born was the Prussian mineralogist and geologist, Ignaz Edler von Born (1742-1791), who made significant contributions to the study of mineralogy and was a pioneering figure in the field of crystallography.
In the 19th century, the German mathematician and physicist, Gustav Born (1851-1900), gained recognition for his work in the field of fluid dynamics and the study of turbulence. He is particularly known for the Born equation, which describes the motion of a particle in a fluid.
The surname Born has also been associated with places and geographical locations. For example, the town of Born in the Netherlands is named after a stream that runs through the area, reflecting the original meaning of the name.
Throughout history, the surname Born has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scientists, musicians, and scholars, reflecting the widespread distribution and long-standing presence of this name across German-speaking regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Born
Among Census respondents with the surname Born, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Born bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Born surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6%
- Two or more races1.1%
- Black or African American0.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Born surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,042 | #5,168 | -2.5% |
| Count | 6,385 | 6,771 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.37 | 2.30 | -3.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Born bearers went from 6,385 to 6,771 (+6.0% change). The surname moved down 126 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,042 to #5,168.
FAQ
Born surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Born?
The surname Born holds position #5,168 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 7,883 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.30 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Born surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Born, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.