2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Bardot
A French surname derived from the Old French word "bardot", meaning a slow lumbering person or animal.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 166 Americans carry the last name Bardot. That puts it at #124,450 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,064,785 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bardot 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
166
1 in 2,064,785
Census rank
#124,450
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
145
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 145 bearers of the surname Bardot in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 124450th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bardot, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bardot
The surname Bardot originated in France, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "bardot," which referred to a small breed of horse or pony. This term itself evolved from the Late Latin word "burdone," meaning a pack animal or mule.
One of the earliest known references to the Bardot surname can be found in a medieval document from the year 1292, which mentions a person named "Jehan Bardot" residing in the Champagne region of France. The name was particularly prevalent in the northeastern regions of the country, including areas like Lorraine and Alsace.
During the Middle Ages, the Bardot name appeared in various records and manuscripts, often associated with individuals involved in agriculture or animal husbandry. For instance, a 14th-century tax register from the village of Domremy-la-Pucelle (the birthplace of Joan of Arc) lists several Bardot families among the local residents.
In the 16th century, the Bardot name gained some prominence with the rise of a notable family from the town of Metz in northeastern France. This family produced several scholars and clergymen, including Nicolas Bardot (1515-1587), a celebrated theologian and professor at the University of Paris.
Another notable figure bearing the Bardot surname was Jacques Bardot (1675-1746), a French mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the calculation of planetary orbits and the study of comets. His work was recognized by the renowned French Academy of Sciences.
Over the centuries, the Bardot name has been associated with various professions and social classes, from farmers and artisans to academics and nobles. One of the most famous individuals to bear this surname in modern times is the iconic French actress and fashion model Brigitte Bardot (born 1934), renowned for her starring roles in numerous films during the 1950s and 1960s.
While the Bardot surname originated in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by French emigrants and their descendants. Nevertheless, the name remains deeply rooted in its French heritage, with its equine connotations serving as a reminder of its agricultural and rural origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bardot
Among Census respondents with the surname Bardot, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Bardot 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 Bardot surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 128
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 6
- Two or more races4.1% · 6
- Black or African American1.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bardot
Bardot 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-6 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,287 places
2020
#124,450
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
+14 bearers (+10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 5,375 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 12,287 places |
| 2020 | #124,450 | 145 | 0.05 | +14 bearers (+10.7%) | Up 5,375 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 Bardot 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 | #129,825 | #124,450 | 4.1% |
| Count | 131 | 145 | 10.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 21.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bardot bearers went from 131 to 145 (+10.7% change). The surname moved up 5,375 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #124,450.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bardot
FAQ
Bardot surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bardot?
Name Census estimates that about 166 living Americans carry the surname Bardot. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,064,785 residents.
How common is Bardot?
Bardot ranks #124,450 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 145 people with the surname Bardot. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (166), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Bardot.
Has Bardot become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bardot went from 131 recorded bearers to 145. That is an increase of 14 (+10.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #129,825 to #124,450.
What does the Census say about the background of Bardot?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bardot, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bardot in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (128 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bardot appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Hispanic (4.1%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Bardot (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 Bardot mean?
A French surname derived from the Old French word "bardot", meaning a slow lumbering person or animal. 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 Bardot (0.05 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 Bardot?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.