2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Boudah
An Arabic surname derived from a word meaning "open area" or "plain".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Boudah. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boudah 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Boudah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boudah, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.4%) and Two or More Races (8.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boudah
The surname BOUDAH is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Lebanon and Syria. The name's roots can be traced back to the Arabic language, where it is thought to have derived from the word "budha," which means "calm" or "tranquil."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the BOUDAH surname can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts dating back to the 12th century. These manuscripts refer to a prominent family from the city of Tripoli, in what is now modern-day Lebanon, who bore the BOUDAH name. It is speculated that this family may have played a significant role in the political or cultural affairs of the region during that time period.
During the Crusades, which lasted from the 11th to the 13th centuries, there are records of individuals with the BOUDAH surname serving in various capacities, both as soldiers and as diplomats. One notable example is Salah al-Din BOUDAH, a diplomat who was instrumental in negotiating peace treaties between the Crusaders and the Muslim rulers of the region.
As the BOUDAH family dispersed across the Middle East and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as BOUDAHH, BOUDEH, and BOUDAHIE. These variations can be found in historical records from countries like Egypt, Turkey, and even parts of North Africa.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Farid BOUDAH (1830-1901) gained prominence as a renowned scholar and poet in the city of Beirut. His works, which celebrated the beauty and culture of the region, are still studied and revered today.
Another prominent individual with the BOUDAH surname was Leila BOUDAH (1892-1976), a pioneering feminist and activist from Syria. She played a crucial role in advocating for women's rights and social reforms in the early 20th century, paving the way for future generations of women leaders in the region.
As the BOUDAH family continued to spread across the globe, their name can be found in various historical records and documents spanning multiple continents. From the ancient manuscripts of the Middle East to the modern diaspora, the BOUDAH surname has left an indelible mark on history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and resilience of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boudah
Among Census respondents with the surname Boudah, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.4%) and Two or More Races (8.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Boudah 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 Boudah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.4% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino8.4% · 9
- Two or more races8.4% · 9
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Boudah
Boudah appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+18 bearers (+17.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,171 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-12 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,482 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.8%) | Up 9,171 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 11,482 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 Boudah 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 | #140,157 | #151,639 | -8.2% |
| Count | 119 | 107 | -10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Boudah bearers went from 119 to 107 (-10.1% change). The surname moved down 11,482 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #151,639.
FAQ
Boudah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Boudah?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Boudah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Boudah?
Boudah ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Boudah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Boudah.
Has Boudah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Boudah went from 119 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Boudah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boudah, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.4%) and Two or More Races (8.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Boudah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.4% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Boudah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.4%), Hispanic (8.4%), Two or More Races (8.4%). 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 Boudah (2000, 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 Boudah mean?
An Arabic surname derived from a word meaning "open area" or "plain". 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 Boudah (0.04 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 are called Boudah?
You can see how many people are called Boudah on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.