2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Bunis
A surname of North African origin, possibly derived from the Arabic word "bani" meaning "sons of".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Bunis. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bunis 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Bunis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bunis
The surname BUNIS has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern region of Piedmont. It is believed to have emerged during the 13th century, derived from the Italian word "bunia," which means "marshy land" or "swamp."
During the Middle Ages, surnames often originated from the physical characteristics of the land where a family resided or worked. The BUNIS surname likely referred to a family that lived near or worked on marshy or swampy lands in the Piedmont region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BUNIS surname can be found in a 1287 census record from the town of Asti, where a family with the name "Bunis" was listed as landowners. This suggests that the surname had already established itself in the region by that time.
In the 14th century, a man named Giovanni Bunis (1320-1389) was documented as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Turin. His successful business dealings and landholdings likely contributed to the surname's recognition and spread within the region.
Another notable figure bearing the BUNIS surname was Pietro Bunis (1452-1517), a scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Turin. His writings on theology and philosophy were widely circulated during the Renaissance period.
During the 16th century, the BUNIS surname appeared in various records from the town of Casale Monferrato, which was then part of the Duchy of Mantua. One document from 1542 mentions a family called "Bunis de Casale," indicating their place of origin.
In the 17th century, a man named Giacomo Bunis (1628-1702) gained recognition as a skilled architect and engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and structures in the city of Turin, including the Church of San Carlo and the Palazzo Reale.
Another prominent figure with the BUNIS surname was Francesco Bunis (1772-1845), a military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He rose through the ranks and eventually became a General in the French Army, earning several honors and distinctions for his bravery and leadership.
Throughout its history, the BUNIS surname has maintained a strong presence in the Piedmont region of Italy, with various branches and families continuing to carry on the name across generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bunis
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bunis 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 Bunis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2% · 105
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bunis
Bunis 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,431 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-12 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,707 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 10,431 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 11,707 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 Bunis 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 | #139,228 | #150,935 | -8.4% |
| Count | 120 | 108 | -10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bunis bearers went from 120 to 108 (-10.0% change). The surname moved down 11,707 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #150,935.
FAQ
Bunis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bunis?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Bunis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Bunis?
Bunis ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Bunis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Bunis.
Has Bunis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bunis went from 120 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Bunis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%). 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 Bunis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.2% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bunis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.2%), Black (2.8%). 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 Bunis (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 Bunis mean?
A surname of North African origin, possibly derived from the Arabic word "bani" meaning "sons of". 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 Bunis (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 have the last name Bunis?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Bunis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.