Bui last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bui

A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname 裴, meaning "luxuriant growth" or "flourishing."

Bui, 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 Bui surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bui in America

Bui is the 1222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bui surname appeared 28,919 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Bui.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bui 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 1222 1579 -25.49%
Count 28,919 20,852 32.42%
Proportion per 100k 9.80 7.73 23.62%

The history of the last name Bui

The surname Bui has its origins in Vietnam and is believed to have emerged around the 15th century. It is derived from the Vietnamese word "buồi," which means "time" or "period." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular era or event in history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bui can be found in the Annals of Dai Viet, a historical text dating back to the 15th century. These annals mention several individuals with the surname Bui, including Bui Van Ngo, who served as a high-ranking official during the reign of the Tran dynasty.

In the 16th century, the name Bui appeared in various official records and documents from the Le dynasty. One notable figure was Bui Thi Xuan (1506-1548), a Vietnamese poet and scholar who is considered one of the most influential literary figures of her time.

During the 17th century, the Bui surname gained prominence in the northern regions of Vietnam, particularly in the provinces of Bac Ninh and Hung Yen. Several villages and hamlets in these areas were named after prominent Bui families, such as Bui Village in Bac Ninh Province.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Bui was Bui Huu Nghia (1807-1872), a Vietnamese scholar and diplomat who played a crucial role in negotiating treaties with Western powers during the 19th century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Vietnamese history during that era.

Another notable figure was Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), a Vietnamese painter and artist who was renowned for his innovative techniques and unique style. His works are celebrated as some of the most iconic pieces of Vietnamese modern art.

Throughout history, the Bui surname has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in Vietnam. For instance, the village of Bui Chu in Hanoi was named after a prominent Bui family that settled in the area during the 18th century.

Overall, the surname Bui has a rich and diverse history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture and tradition. It has been borne by many influential individuals who have left an indelible mark on the country's history, literature, and arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bui

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

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 Bui was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 1.71% 495
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.32% 93
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 95.45% 27,603
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.02% 6
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.63% 471
Hispanic Origin 0.87% 252

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 Bui has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 1.71% 2.86% -50.33%
Black 0.32% 0.47% -37.97%
Asian and Pacific Islander 95.45% 93.79% 1.75%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.02% 0.04% -66.67%
Two or More Races 1.63% 2.11% -25.67%
Hispanic 0.87% 0.72% 18.87%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bui last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bui-surname-popularity/.

"Bui last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bui-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 November, 2024

Bui last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bui-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.