Explore the Family Name Baul
The meaning of Baul
1. Indian (mainly West Bengal) and Bangladeshi: from Bengali baul, Sanskrit vatula ‘madman’. Bearers of this name traditionally lived a lifestyle characterized by isolation from society, typically singing of social inequalities and injustice. They subsisted mainly on alms, considering themselves to be outside any organized religion, representing instead a polymorphic spiritual tradition. 2. German: relationship name from a term denoting a relative or close friend, from Middle High German buole, Middle Low German bole ‘relative, lover, close friend’. 3. German: possibly also from a rare variant of the personal name Paul.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Baul in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Baul has seen a slight increase in recent years. In 2000, it ranked 59,453rd in terms of commonality, but ten years later, it had moved up to the 58,182nd spot—a 2.14% change. During this same period, the number of individuals with this surname rose from 318 to 349, marking a 9.75% increase. However, in terms of proportion per 100,000 people, the figure remained static at 0.12.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #59,453 | #58,182 | 2.14% |
| Count | 318 | 349 | 9.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Baul
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Baul has also shifted somewhat between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The largest group identifying with this surname is the Black community, increasing slightly from 48.43% in 2000 to 50.43% in 2010. The second largest group is those of Asian/Pacific Islander descent, which grew from 20.44% in 2000 to 27.51% in 2010. While there was still a significant White representation among those with the surname, it decreased from 25.79% to 16.05% over the decade. There was also a moderate increase in those identifying as Hispanic, going from 2.52% to 3.72%. Meanwhile, no changes were observed in the categories "Two or more races" and "American Indian and Alaskan Native," with both remaining at 0 across the board.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 48.43% | 50.43% | 4.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 20.44% | 27.51% | 34.59% |
| White | 25.79% | 16.05% | -37.77% |
| Hispanic | 2.52% | 3.72% | 47.62% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |