2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Badu
A surname of African origin, possibly derived from the Yoruba word "bàdùrà" meaning "hunter".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 553 Americans carry the last name Badu. That puts it at #47,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 619,809 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Badu surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Badu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
553
1 in 619,809
Census rank
#47,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
482
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 482 bearers of the surname Badu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 47446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Badu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and White (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Badu
The surname BADU originates from the West African country of Ghana. It is believed to have emerged in the 16th century among the Akan people, who make up the largest ethnic group in the region. The name is thought to be derived from the Akan word "badu," which translates to "hunter" or "one who hunts."
In its earliest recorded forms, the name was spelled as "Badu" or "Bado," reflecting the phonetic variations common in spoken Akan dialects. The name first appeared in written records during the late 17th century, when European traders and explorers began documenting their interactions with the coastal Akan communities.
One of the earliest known references to the BADU name can be found in the records of the Dutch West India Company, which established trading posts along the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the 1600s. These records mention individuals with the name "Badu" or "Bado" who served as intermediaries or guides for the Dutch traders.
As the centuries progressed, the BADU name spread beyond its Akan origins and became more widely adopted across Ghana and neighboring regions of West Africa. Notable individuals bearing this surname include:
1. Kwasi Badu (c. 1710-1780), a prominent Akan chief and diplomat who negotiated trade agreements with European powers in the mid-18th century.
2. Nana Akyaa Badu (1825-1892), a respected queen mother of the Ashanti kingdom, known for her influential role in political and cultural affairs.
3. Kwame Badu (1887-1961), a Ghanaian educator and writer who published works on Akan folklore and traditions.
4. Amma Badu (1918-2001), a pioneering Ghanaian nurse and midwife who helped establish modern healthcare practices in rural communities.
5. Erykah Badu (born 1971), an acclaimed American singer-songwriter and actress, known for her unique blend of R&B, soul, and jazz music.
While the BADU name has spread globally due to migration and cultural exchange, its roots can be traced back to the Akan people of Ghana and their rich cultural heritage as hunters and traders in West Africa.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Badu
Among Census respondents with the surname Badu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and White (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Badu bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Badu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American85.9% · 414
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.7% · 37
- White5.0% · 24
- Two or more races1.2% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Badu
Badu appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#66,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 296
+158 bearers (+114.5%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 50,081 places
2020
#47,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 482
+186 bearers (+62.8%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 19,308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #66,754 | 296 | 0.10 | +158 bearers (+114.5%) | Up 50,081 places |
| 2020 | #47,446 | 482 | 0.16 | +186 bearers (+62.8%) | Up 19,308 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Badu surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #66,754 | #47,446 | 28.9% |
| Count | 296 | 482 | 62.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.16 | 61.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Badu bearers went from 296 to 482 (+62.8% change). The surname moved up 19,308 positions in the national ranking, going from #66,754 to #47,446.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Badu
FAQ
Badu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Badu?
Name Census estimates that about 553 living Americans carry the surname Badu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 619,809 residents.
How common is Badu?
Badu ranks #47,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 482 people with the surname Badu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (553), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Badu.
Has Badu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Badu went from 296 recorded bearers to 482. That is an increase of 186 (+62.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #66,754 to #47,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Badu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Badu, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%) and White (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Badu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.9% (414 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Badu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (85.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.7%), White (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Badu (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Badu mean?
A surname of African origin, possibly derived from the Yoruba word "bàdùrà" meaning "hunter". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Badu (0.16 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Badu?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.