Explore the Family Name Big
The meaning of Big
1. Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on (or just composed of) a word meaning ‘big’, such as Navajo Hastiin-tsoh ‘Big Man’ (see Tso, compare Bigman). 2. Probably an altered or shortened form of some English surname such as Bigg and Biggs, or an English translation or adaptation of some cognate or like-sounding name from continental Europe (compare Bigg 3).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Big in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Big' has seen a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked 66,274 in popularity with a count of 279 individuals, which equates to approximately 0.1 per 100,000 people. However, by 2010, the rank had fallen to 86,645 with a count of only 215 people or about 0.07 per 100,000. This represents a decrease in popularity of nearly 31%, and a drop in count of nearly 23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #66,274 | #86,645 | -30.74% |
| Count | 279 | 215 | -22.94% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.07 | -30% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Big
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates several shifts between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of those with the 'Big' surname who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black dropped by about 32% and 35% respectively. There's also a notable change among those identifying as Hispanic and those reporting two or more races, both of which fell to zero by 2010. On the other hand, the percentage of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by over 22%. The proportion identifying as White remained relatively stable, with a negligible drop of less than 1%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 46.95% | 46.51% | -0.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 32.26% | 39.53% | 22.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 8.96% | 6.05% | -32.48% |
| Black | 5.73% | 3.72% | -35.08% |
| Two or More Races | 2.51% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 3.58% | 0% | 0% |