The Babb surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,794 people carried this name — #2,820 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 23,000 people counted. That is up 1% from 12,726 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Babb surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Barbara’.

An early record he cites: Berthol Babbe, Huntingdonshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Babb and Babbs.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 71 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

53 families named Babb, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 298 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New Hampshire 13
Maine 11
Pennsylvania 7
North Carolina 6
Virginia 5
South Carolina 5
Massachusetts 3
Maryland 2
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 228 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Babb in American newspapers,
1897–1898.

Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Babb
The News & Observer 1897-08-20
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Babb
The News & Observer 1897-04-10
Newspaper page from Eagle River Review carrying the name Babb
Eagle River Review 1898-11-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 74,385 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Babb in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

1,530 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Babb. The most, 221, date from the 1940s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 444
Western Australia 336
New South Wales 266
Queensland 256
South Australia 162
Tasmania 34
ACT (Canberra) 31

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Babb.

Who carried it

People named Babb,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Edward C. Babb
    Edward C. Babb 1834–1899 · politician
  • John Babb 1641–1739
  • Francis Babb 1780–1855
  • Susanna Miles Frost 1814–1887
  • Thomas Babb 1815–
  • Francis Babb 1819–1882

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Babb,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States851 records

851 records of the Babb name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 491
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 184
  • Other U.S. records 176
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Homer Lee Babb

    Born 1919 in Alabama. Enlisted 1941 at Fort McClellan; farm hand from Lamar County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Beaverton Cemetery, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ann Babb

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Aurania from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 25; weaver. From Bradford, England; bound for New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kenneth Alvin Babb

    Born 1946; from Suffolk, Virginia. U.S. Army, medical specialist; killed in action 1966 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 851 records for Babb in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia103 records

103 records of the Babb name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 49
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 34
  • Other Australian records 20
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record David Babb

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Sir William Bensley, arriving 1817; ticket of leave 1833.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rosetta E. Babb

    Arrived in Queensland in 1913 aboard the Perthshire, aged 4.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Henry Babb

    Retired builder of Eltham, Victoria; died 1984.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 103 records for Babb in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada24 records

24 records of the Babb name in Canada
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 10
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record John Babb

    Killed in 1924 at the Dominion No. 24 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Terri-Lyn Babb

    Died 1993, aged 25; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Harold Wesley Babb

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 24 records for Babb in Canada.

Counts: City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom6 records

6 records of the Babb name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frances Babb

    Buried in 1802 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 63.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Babb

    Al Warwickshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. J. Babb

    Wiltshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Babb in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France4 records

4 records of the Babb name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Andre William Robert Babb

    Born 1892 in Paris; died 1981 in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Edgard Muriel Babb

    Born 1925 in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe); died 1991 in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Paul Edouard Charles Babb

    Born 1914 in Paris; died 1984 in Dourdan (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Babb in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Babb name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Benjamin Babb

    Married in 1946 in Groningen; carpenter.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record George Arthur Babb

    Married in 1945 in Nijmegen; clerk.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Margaretha Babb

    Married in 1937 in Amsterdam; "handwerkonderwijzeres".

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Babb name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Olivia Babb

    Died 1946 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Babb.

When the index is not enough

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