Explore the Family Name Bala
The meaning of Bala
1. Indian (Gujarat and Mumbai): Parsi name, probably from Persian bālā ‘high, exalted’. 2. Indian (southern states): variant of Balan among speakers of Tamil and Malayalam who have migrated away from their home state. — Note: Since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to US. 3. Polish: from a shortened form of the personal name Baltazar. 4. Hungarian: from a pet form of the personal name Balázs, a vernacular form of Blasius. 5. Albanian: from the personal name Balë (definite form Bala), which could be ultimately derived from a South Slavic name beginning with Bal- (see Balic 2) or from Albanian balë ‘whitish, having a white spot on the face or muzzle’ (compare 6). 6. Albanian: nickname from balë (definite form bala), a term denoting a ‘(domestic animal with a) white spot on forehead or body’, or a ‘badger’. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Deepa, Manju, Nisha, Pranab, Ravi, Adarsh, Arul, Chandran, Ganesan, Indu, Karthik, Kavita.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bala in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bala has risen between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 16,769th in terms of prevalence but climbed to the 15,005th position in 2010, marking a 10.52% increase. The count of individuals with this surname also saw growth over this period, jumping from 1,568 to 1,968, an increase of 25.51%. Similarly, the proportion of people named Bala per 100,000 increased by 15.52%, from 0.58 to 0.67.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,769 | #15,005 | 10.52% |
| Count | 1,568 | 1,968 | 25.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.58 | 0.67 | 15.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bala
The Decennial U.S. Census provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Bala as well. There was a significant increase in the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with the surname from 37.56% in 2000 to 49.64% in 2010. However, the percentage of those identifying with two or more races decreased dramatically by 62.02%, dropping from 5.74% to 2.18%. The percentage of Whites with the Bala surname also dropped from 47.64% to 38.36%, a 19.48% decrease. Meanwhile, Hispanics using the surname marginally increased from 6.25% to 6.55%. Lastly, the Black community using the Bala surname saw a fresh entry at 2.9% in 2010, and there was a new representation from the American Indian and Alaskan Native category at 0.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 37.56% | 49.64% | 32.16% |
| White | 47.64% | 38.36% | -19.48% |
| Hispanic | 6.25% | 6.55% | 4.8% |
| Black | 0% | 2.9% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 5.74% | 2.18% | -62.02% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.36% | 0% |