Explore the Family Name Babe
The meaning of Babe
1. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the personal name Baba (from Czech baba ‘grandmother, old woman’). This name was sometimes given as an omen or well-wishing name to a tenderly guarded or seriously sick child, in the hope of prophesying a long life. 2. Germanized form of Sorbian Baba or Babo, or of some other Slavic nickname derived from baba ‘(old) woman’ (compare 1 above). 3. German: probably a variant of Baab, a name derived from baby talk. 4. Possibly also an Americanized form of Swiss German Baebi or Bäbi: from a pet form of the ancient Germanic name Babo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Babe in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Babe' saw an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 47,120th in popularity with a count of 424, which equates to 0.16 per 100k. By 2010, it moved up to rank 46,725 with a count of 455, or 0.15 per 100k, marking a change of 0.84 in rank and a 7.31 increase in count. However, its proportion per 100k decreased by 6.25.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #47,120 | #46,725 | 0.84% |
| Count | 424 | 455 | 7.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.15 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Babe
Ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Babe' also fluctuated during this period, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of those identifying as White increased from 87.74 in 2000 to 89.89 in 2010, showing a change of 2.45. Those identifying as Black also increased, going from 3.07 to 3.74, a change of 21.82. Conversely, the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic dropped significantly from 4.95 to 2.86, marking a decrease of 42.22. As for Asian/Pacific Islander, there was a slight decrease from 2.12 to 1.98, a change of -6.60. There were no changes observed in those identifying as 'Two or more races' or 'American Indian and Alaskan Native'.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.74% | 89.89% | 2.45% |
| Black | 3.07% | 3.74% | 21.82% |
| Hispanic | 4.95% | 2.86% | -42.22% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.12% | 1.98% | -6.6% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |