Explore the Family Name Banu

The meaning of Banu

1. Muslim (Indian subcontinent): from Persian bānū ‘lady, mistress’. This is a respectful term of address, normally used with a Muslim woman’s personal name. Compare Bano 1. — Note: Originally, this is not a surname, although a woman without another surname might use it as her last name. In any case, it was registered as a surname after immigration of its bearers to the US. 2. Romanian: from the medieval title ban (see Ban 1), denoting a chief of the territorial unit called banat, + the definite article -u(l).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Banu in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Banu" has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname jumped from 65,668 to 39,555, which represents an improvement of approximately 39.77 percent. The count of individuals carrying this name also saw a substantial rise of about 97.16 percent, increasing from 282 in 2000 to 556 in 2010. This corresponds to a growth in the proportion per 100,000 people - from 0.1 to 0.19, signifying an astonishing growth rate of 90.0 percent.

20002010Change
Rank#65,668#39,55539.77%
Count28255697.16%
Proportion per 100k0.10.1990%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Banu

The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides intriguing insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Banu". The Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity dominates the chart with a remarkable increase from 70.21 percent in 2000 to 80.58 percent in 2010. There is a noted decline in the percentage of individuals identifying as White or belonging to two or more races, with a respective decrease of 27.53 percent and 79.10 percent over the decade. Meanwhile, the Hispanic and Black ethnic identities made their first appearance in 2010, accounting for 1.08 percent and 0.9 percent respectively. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained constant with no identifiable presence.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander70.21%80.58%14.77%
White22.34%16.19%-27.53%
Two or More Races6.03%1.26%-79.1%
Hispanic0%1.08%0%
Black0%0.9%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%