2000
#10,382
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,845
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.05
Rare Last name
Bourassa
A French toponymic surname indicating someone from a place with abundant shrubs or underbrush.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,159 Americans carry the last name Bourassa. That puts it at #11,027 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 108,501 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bourassa 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
3.2K
1 in 108,501
Census rank
#11,027
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,755 bearers of the surname Bourassa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11027th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bourassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bourassa
The surname Bourassa originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "bour," meaning a small settlement or village, and the suffix "-asse," indicating a collective or group. This suggests that the name may have referred to people who lived in a particular village or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bourassa can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name was likely introduced to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest in 1066.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert Bourassa was mentioned in the records of the city of Rouen, Normandy. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during that time period.
During the 16th century, the Bourassa family established itself in the region of Brittany, France. One of the earliest recorded members was Jean Bourassa (1520-1588), a wealthy landowner and influential figure in the local community.
In the 17th century, the name Bourassa gained prominence in Canada, where many French settlers emigrated during the period of colonization. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Henri Bourassa (1868-1952), a Canadian politician and journalist who was a staunch advocate for Quebec autonomy and nationalism.
Other notable individuals with the surname Bourassa include:
- Robert Bourassa (1933-1996), a Canadian politician who served as the Premier of Quebec from 1970 to 1976 and again from 1985 to 1994.
- André Bourassa (1936-2020), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Montréal from 1986 to 1994.
- Jacques Bourassa (1924-2008), a Canadian painter and sculptor known for his abstract works.
- Napoléon Bourassa (1827-1916), a Canadian architect and engineer who designed several prominent buildings in Montréal.
The surname Bourassa has a rich history, with its origins tracing back to medieval France and its presence spanning across various regions and time periods. It has been associated with notable figures in various fields, including politics, journalism, art, and architecture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bourassa
Among Census respondents with the surname Bourassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bourassa 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 Bourassa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 2,511
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 102
- Two or more races3.4% · 93
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 30
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 13
- Black or African American0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bourassa
Bourassa 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
#11,021
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,886
+41 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Down 639 places
2020
#11,027
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,755
-131 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Down 6 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,382 | 2,845 | 1.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,021 | 2,886 | 0.98 | +41 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 639 places |
| 2020 | #11,027 | 2,755 | 0.92 | -131 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 6 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 Bourassa 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 | #11,021 | #11,027 | -0.1% |
| Count | 2,886 | 2,755 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.98 | 0.92 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bourassa bearers went from 2,886 to 2,755 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 6 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,021 to #11,027.
FAQ
Bourassa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bourassa?
Name Census estimates that about 3,159 living Americans carry the surname Bourassa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 108,501 residents.
How common is Bourassa?
Bourassa ranks #11,027 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.92 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,755 people with the surname Bourassa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,159), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.92 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bourassa.
Has Bourassa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bourassa went from 2,886 recorded bearers to 2,755. That is a decrease of 131 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,021 to #11,027.
What does the Census say about the background of Bourassa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bourassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Bourassa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (2,511 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bourassa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Bourassa (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 Bourassa mean?
A French toponymic surname indicating someone from a place with abundant shrubs or underbrush. 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 Bourassa (0.92 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 Bourassa?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.