Explore the Family Name Babel
The meaning of Babel
1. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German or Polish Babel ‘Babylon’ (which was named with the Assyrian elements bāb ‘gate’ + ilu ‘god’). The Jewish people were held in captivity in Babylon from 597 to about 538 BC, and the name was sometimes adopted with reference to being an oppressed minority in a foreign culture. 2. German: from a variant of the personal name Babo, a name developed from baby talk, also a pet form of Paul. 3. French: from a pet form of the female personal name Isabel. 4. French: from Babel, a medieval personal name bestowed in honor of St. Babylas, a 3rd-century Christian patriarch of Antioch, whose name is of uncertain origin. Some characteristic forenames: German Eberhard, Gerda, Klaus, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Babel in the United States?
The surname "Babel" was ranked 23,762 in popularity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data from the year 2000, and dropped slightly to a rank of 24,648 in 2010. This indicates a minimal decrease in popularity of around 3.73%. However, the number of people carrying this surname increased from 994 in 2000 to 1,013 in 2010, showing a growth of approximately 1.91%. The proportion of this surname per 100,000 individuals also saw a decline of 8.11% between these two census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,762 | #24,648 | -3.73% |
| Count | 994 | 1,013 | 1.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.37 | 0.34 | -8.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Babel
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that there was a notable change in diversity associated with the Babel surname between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, those identifying as White represented the majority at 93.06%, but this figure dropped by 4.85% to 88.55% in 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander made up 2.31% in 2000, increasing substantially by 53.68% to reach 3.55% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.71% to 2.37%, indicating a 38.6% increase. Interestingly, there was a significant rise in those identifying as Black, moving from 1.71% in 2000 to 3.75% in 2010, a growth of 119.3%. The categories of American Indian and Alaskan Native and Two or more races had no recorded changes.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.06% | 88.55% | -4.85% |
| Black | 1.71% | 3.75% | 119.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.31% | 3.55% | 53.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.71% | 2.37% | 38.6% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |