Explore the Family Name Bellah
The meaning of Bellah
Irish: variant of Ballagh. History: Bearers of this surname are descended from John Bellah, Bellagh, or Ballagh, born c.1645 in County Antrim, Ireland, died 8 November 1717 in Charleston, SC. His son William is generally regarded as the immigrant.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bellah in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Bellah' has seen a slight decrease in rank from 19,629 in 2000 to 20,239 in 2010, reflecting a change of -3.11%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 3.46% from 1,271 to 1,315 over the same period. The proportion per 100,000 people also fell slightly by -4.26% from 0.47 in 2000 to 0.45 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,629 | #20,239 | -3.11% |
| Count | 1,271 | 1,315 | 3.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.47 | 0.45 | -4.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bellah
In terms of ethnic identity, there have been shifts among those bearing the Bellah surname between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2010, the largest group continued to be white at 85.63%, down slightly from 87.25% in 2000. The Hispanic representation increased by 12.03% to reach 8.29% of the total from 7.40% in 2000. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased by 16.36%, while people identifying with two or more races increased their proportion significantly by 48.32%. The percentage identifying as Black dropped slightly by 7.73%, while those declaring themselves as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 17.45%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.25% | 85.63% | -1.86% |
| Hispanic | 7.4% | 8.29% | 12.03% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 2.21% | 48.32% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.49% | 1.75% | 17.45% |
| Black | 1.81% | 1.67% | -7.73% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0.46% | -16.36% |