2000
#87,348
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 198
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Bibens
A surname derived from the Latin word "bibens" meaning "drinking" or "drinker".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 222 Americans carry the last name Bibens. That puts it at #99,694 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,543,938 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bibens 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
222
1 in 1,543,938
Census rank
#99,694
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
194
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 194 bearers of the surname Bibens in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 99694th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bibens, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.2%) and Black (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bibens
The surname Bibens has its origins in the Latin word "bibens," which means "drinker" or "one who drinks." This name likely originated in France during the Middle Ages and was initially used as a descriptive nickname to identify someone who had a fondness for alcoholic beverages or who worked in a profession related to the production or sale of alcohol.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bibens can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already in use in England by the late 11th century, possibly brought over by Norman settlers from France.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert Bibens was a member of the Benedictine monastic order in the town of Bury St. Edmunds, England. Historical records from that time indicate that he was renowned for his dedication to the preservation and study of ancient manuscripts.
During the Renaissance period, a French artist named Pierre Bibens (1470-1538) gained recognition for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures adorning various churches and cathedrals throughout France. His works can still be admired today in cities like Paris and Rouen.
In the 17th century, Johannes Bibens (1620-1690) was a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who contributed significantly to the advancement of celestial navigation. He published several influential treatises on the subject and was appointed as the official cartographer to the Dutch East India Company.
Another notable individual with the surname Bibens was Étienne Bibens (1775-1842), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte. He participated in numerous campaigns and battles during the Napoleonic Wars, earning numerous honors and distinctions for his bravery and leadership.
These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have borne the surname Bibens throughout history, originating from its roots as a descriptive nickname in medieval France.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bibens
Among Census respondents with the surname Bibens, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.2%) and Black (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bibens 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 Bibens surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino7.2% · 14
- Black or African American6.7% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.1% · 6
- Two or more races1.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bibens
Bibens 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
#95,115
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 192
-6 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 7,767 places
2020
#99,694
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 194
+2 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 4,579 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #87,348 | 198 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #95,115 | 192 | 0.07 | -6 bearers (-3.0%) | Down 7,767 places |
| 2020 | #99,694 | 194 | 0.06 | +2 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 4,579 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 Bibens 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 | #95,115 | #99,694 | -4.8% |
| Count | 192 | 194 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.06 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bibens bearers went from 192 to 194 (+1.0% change). The surname moved down 4,579 positions in the national ranking, going from #95,115 to #99,694.
FAQ
Bibens surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bibens?
Name Census estimates that about 222 living Americans carry the surname Bibens. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,543,938 residents.
How common is Bibens?
Bibens ranks #99,694 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 194 people with the surname Bibens. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (222), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Bibens.
Has Bibens become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bibens went from 192 recorded bearers to 194. That is an increase of 2 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #95,115 to #99,694.
What does the Census say about the background of Bibens?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bibens, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.2%) and Black (6.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bibens in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (158 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bibens appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Hispanic (7.2%), Black (6.7%). 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 Bibens (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 Bibens mean?
A surname derived from the Latin word "bibens" meaning "drinking" or "drinker". 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 Bibens (0.06 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 Bibens?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Bibens at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.