2000
#1,579
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 20,852
First available Census row
Per 100,000 7.73
Uncommon Last name
Bui
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname 裴, meaning "luxuriant growth" or "flourishing."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 40,565 Americans carry the last name Bui. That puts it at #974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.84 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,450 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bui 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bui with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
41K
1 in 8,450
Census rank
#974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
35K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 35,375 bearers of the surname Bui in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.84 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bui
Among Census respondents with the surname Bui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bui 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 Bui surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.1% · 33,627
- Two or more races2.1% · 735
- White1.6% · 578
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 332
- Black or African American0.3% · 98
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bui
Bui 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
#1,222
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 28,919
+8,067 bearers (+38.7%)
Per 100,000 9.80
Rank movement Up 357 places
2020
#974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 35,375
+6,456 bearers (+22.3%)
Per 100,000 11.84
Rank movement Up 248 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,579 | 20,852 | 7.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,222 | 28,919 | 9.80 | +8,067 bearers (+38.7%) | Up 357 places |
| 2020 | #974 | 35,375 | 11.84 | +6,456 bearers (+22.3%) | Up 248 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 Bui 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 | #1,222 | #974 | 20.3% |
| Count | 28,919 | 35,375 | 22.3% |
| Per 100K | 9.80 | 11.84 | 20.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bui bearers went from 28,919 to 35,375 (+22.3% change). The surname moved up 248 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,222 to #974.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bui
FAQ
Bui surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bui?
Name Census estimates that about 40,565 living Americans carry the surname Bui. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,450 residents.
How common is Bui?
Bui ranks #974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 11.84 per 100,000 residents, which is about 12 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 35,375 people with the surname Bui. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (40,565), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 11.84 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 11.84 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 12 of them to have the surname Bui.
Has Bui become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bui went from 28,919 recorded bearers to 35,375. That is an increase of 6,456 (+22.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,222 to #974.
What does the Census say about the background of Bui?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.6%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bui in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (33,627 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bui appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.1%), Two or More Races (2.1%), White (1.6%). 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 Bui (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 Bui mean?
A Vietnamese surname derived from the Chinese surname 裴, meaning "luxuriant growth" or "flourishing." 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 Bui (11.84 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 Americans have the surname Bui?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.