2000
#87,729
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 197
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Bunche
A surname potentially derived from the French word "bûche" meaning log or tree trunk.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 298 Americans carry the last name Bunche. That puts it at #79,118 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,150,182 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bunche 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
298
1 in 1,150,182
Census rank
#79,118
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
260
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 260 bearers of the surname Bunche in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 79118th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunche, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bunche
The surname Bunche has its origins in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, where it first appeared around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "bunche," which translates to "hump" or "bump." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a physical characteristic or a descriptive nickname given to an individual with a noticeable hump or curvature in their back.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bunche surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire, England, from the year 1195. These rolls were administrative records maintained by the royal treasury, listing individuals who owed taxes or had financial transactions with the Crown. The entry refers to a person named "Robertus Bunche," indicating that the surname had already been established by that time.
During the Middle Ages, the Bunche family appeared to have settled in various parts of England, including Shropshire and Worcestershire. There are records of individuals bearing this name in ancient manuscripts, such as the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire from 1273, which mentions a "Willelmus Bunche."
In the 14th century, the surname Bunche was also found in areas of Scotland, particularly in the county of Fife. One notable individual from this region was John Bunche, who lived in the late 14th century and was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry.
The Bunche surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Ralph Bunche, an American diplomat and political scientist who played a crucial role in mediating the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and several Arab states. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his efforts, becoming the first African American to receive this prestigious honor.
Another notable bearer of the Bunche surname was Jean Bunche, a French playwright and author who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his satirical works and contributions to the French literary scene during the Renaissance period.
In the realm of literature, the surname Bunche is also associated with the American writer and social activist, Lila Bunche. Born in 1904, she was a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement and published several collections of poetry and short stories.
While the Bunche surname has its roots in France and has been present in various parts of Europe for centuries, it has also gained prominence in other regions due to migration and cultural exchange. The name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflecting the rich tapestry of human history and the spread of surnames across the globe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bunche
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunche, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bunche 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 Bunche surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American85.4% · 222
- White5.8% · 15
- Two or more races5.8% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bunche
Bunche 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
#74,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 258
+61 bearers (+31.0%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 12,903 places
2020
#79,118
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 260
+2 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 4,292 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #87,729 | 197 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #74,826 | 258 | 0.09 | +61 bearers (+31.0%) | Up 12,903 places |
| 2020 | #79,118 | 260 | 0.09 | +2 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 4,292 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 Bunche 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 | #74,826 | #79,118 | -5.7% |
| Count | 258 | 260 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | -3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bunche bearers went from 258 to 260 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 4,292 positions in the national ranking, going from #74,826 to #79,118.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bunche
FAQ
Bunche surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bunche?
Name Census estimates that about 298 living Americans carry the surname Bunche. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,150,182 residents.
How common is Bunche?
Bunche ranks #79,118 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 260 people with the surname Bunche. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (298), 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 Bunche.
Has Bunche become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bunche went from 258 recorded bearers to 260. That is an increase of 2 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #74,826 to #79,118.
What does the Census say about the background of Bunche?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bunche, the largest self-reported group is Black at 85.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Bunche in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.4% (222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bunche appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (85.4%), White (5.8%), Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Bunche (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 Bunche mean?
A surname potentially derived from the French word "bûche" meaning log or tree trunk. 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 Bunche (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 many people are called Bunche?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Bunche on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.