2010
#97,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 187
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Bakayoko
An African surname likely of Malian origin and Bantu linguistic roots.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 303 Americans carry the last name Bakayoko. That puts it at #78,145 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,131,202 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bakayoko 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.
Bearers in the US
303
1 in 1,131,202
Census rank
#78,145
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
264
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 264 bearers of the surname Bakayoko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78145th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakayoko, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and White (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bakayoko
The surname BAKAYOKO has its origins in West Africa, specifically in present-day Ivory Coast. It is derived from the Dyula language spoken by the Dyula people, who are an ethnic group primarily found in Ivory Coast and neighboring countries.
The name BAKAYOKO is a combination of two words. "Baka" means "big" or "large," while "yoko" refers to a type of woven fabric or cloth. Together, the name could be interpreted as "the big weaver" or "the weaver of large cloths."
The earliest recorded instances of the BAKAYOKO surname can be traced back to the 16th century when the Dyula people were established as traders and merchants in the region. Their expertise in weaving and trading textiles likely contributed to the origin of this surname.
One of the earliest known individuals with the BAKAYOKO surname was Amoako Bakayoko, a prominent Dyula trader who lived in the late 17th century. He was renowned for his successful trading expeditions and the quality of the woven fabrics he sold.
Another historical figure with the BAKAYOKO name was Adama Bakayoko (1820-1891), a respected Dyula chief who played a significant role in mediating disputes between various ethnic groups in the region.
In the 19th century, the BAKAYOKO surname gained prominence with the rise of Samory Touré's Wassoulou Empire in present-day Guinea. Kouassi Bakayoko (1845-1907) was a notable military leader and advisor to Samory Touré, known for his strategic acumen and bravery in battle.
During the colonial era, the BAKAYOKO surname continued to be prominent in West Africa. Issa Bakayoko (1870-1941) was a respected Dyula elder and spiritual leader who played a crucial role in preserving the cultural traditions of his people.
In more recent times, the BAKAYOKO surname has become associated with notable individuals from Ivory Coast. Tiémoué Bakayoko (born 1994) is a professional football player who has represented the Ivory Coast national team and played for various European clubs.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bakayoko
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakayoko, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and White (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bakayoko 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 Bakayoko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American93.9% · 248
- Two or more races3.0% · 8
- White2.7% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bakayoko
Bakayoko appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#78,145
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 264
+77 bearers (+41.2%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 19,065 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #97,210 | 187 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #78,145 | 264 | 0.09 | +77 bearers (+41.2%) | Up 19,065 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 Bakayoko 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 | #97,210 | #78,145 | 19.6% |
| Count | 187 | 264 | 41.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.09 | 47.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bakayoko bearers went from 187 to 264 (+41.2% change). The surname moved up 19,065 positions in the national ranking, going from #97,210 to #78,145.
FAQ
Bakayoko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bakayoko?
Name Census estimates that about 303 living Americans carry the surname Bakayoko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,131,202 residents.
How common is Bakayoko?
Bakayoko ranks #78,145 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 264 people with the surname Bakayoko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (303), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Bakayoko.
Has Bakayoko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bakayoko went from 187 recorded bearers to 264. That is an increase of 77 (+41.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #97,210 to #78,145.
What does the Census say about the background of Bakayoko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bakayoko, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and White (2.7%). 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 Bakayoko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (248 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bakayoko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (93.9%), Two or More Races (3.0%), White (2.7%). 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 Bakayoko (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 Bakayoko mean?
An African surname likely of Malian origin and Bantu linguistic roots. 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 Bakayoko (0.09 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 common is the surname Bakayoko?
Find out how many people have the surname Bakayoko on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.