2000
#38,198
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 545
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.20
Rare Last name
Bu
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near a bur or thicket.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,754 Americans carry the last name Bu. That puts it at #17,995 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 195,413 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bu 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
1.8K
1 in 195,413
Census rank
#17,995
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,530 bearers of the surname Bu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 17995th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.1%) and White (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bu
The surname "Bu" originates from China, with its earliest known origins dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have been derived from the Chinese word "bu," which means "not" or "no." This name was likely given to individuals or families who lived in remote areas or were considered outsiders or outliers.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the "Bu" surname was recorded in several official documents, including the "Jiu Tangshu" (Old Book of Tang) and the "Xin Tangshu" (New Book of Tang). These texts provide valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name during that period.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "Bu" was Bu Shang (624-683 AD), a prominent Tang Dynasty official and calligrapher. He served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong and was renowned for his exceptional calligraphic skills.
In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the "Bu" surname appeared in several genealogical records and local gazetteers. One notable individual from this period was Bu Zhi (1546-1622), a scholar and poet who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the "Bu" surname gained further recognition. Bu Bing (1670-1737), a prominent military leader and strategist, played a crucial role in suppressing the Dzungar Khanate's invasion of Qinghai and Tibet.
Another notable figure with the "Bu" surname was Bu Zhanren (1754-1826), a renowned painter and calligrapher from the late Qing Dynasty. His works, particularly his landscape paintings, were highly acclaimed and influenced generations of artists.
In more recent history, Bu Xinyu (1900-1978) was a prominent Chinese writer and translator who played a significant role in introducing Western literature to Chinese readers. He is best known for his translations of works by authors such as William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
While the "Bu" surname may not be among the most common in China, it has a rich history spanning over a millennium, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various fields, including literature, art, and military strategy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bu
Among Census respondents with the surname Bu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.1%) and White (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bu 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 Bu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander75.7% · 1,158
- Hispanic or Latino16.1% · 247
- White5.9% · 90
- Black or African American1.7% · 26
- Two or more races0.5% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bu
Bu 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
#25,102
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 989
+444 bearers (+81.5%)
Per 100,000 0.34
Rank movement Up 13,096 places
2020
#17,995
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,530
+541 bearers (+54.7%)
Per 100,000 0.51
Rank movement Up 7,107 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #38,198 | 545 | 0.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,102 | 989 | 0.34 | +444 bearers (+81.5%) | Up 13,096 places |
| 2020 | #17,995 | 1,530 | 0.51 | +541 bearers (+54.7%) | Up 7,107 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 Bu 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 | #25,102 | #17,995 | 28.3% |
| Count | 989 | 1,530 | 54.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.51 | 50.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bu bearers went from 989 to 1,530 (+54.7% change). The surname moved up 7,107 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,102 to #17,995.
FAQ
Bu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bu?
Name Census estimates that about 1,754 living Americans carry the surname Bu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 195,413 residents.
How common is Bu?
Bu ranks #17,995 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.51 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,530 people with the surname Bu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,754), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.51 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.51 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bu.
Has Bu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bu went from 989 recorded bearers to 1,530. That is an increase of 541 (+54.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,102 to #17,995.
What does the Census say about the background of Bu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bu, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.1%) and White (5.9%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.7% (1,158 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (75.7%), Hispanic (16.1%), White (5.9%). 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 Bu (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 Bu mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near a bur or thicket. 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 Bu (0.51 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 are called Bu?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Bu on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.