2000
#64,750
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 287
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Very Rare Last name
Kaasa
A surname likely of Scandinavian origin, possibly from the Old Norse word "kasa" meaning basket or crate.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 337 Americans carry the last name Kaasa. That puts it at #71,480 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,017,075 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kaasa 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
337
1 in 1,017,075
Census rank
#71,480
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
294
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 294 bearers of the surname Kaasa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 71480th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kaasa
The surname "KAASA" is believed to have originated in Norway, dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "kåsa," which means "cozy" or "comfortable." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a particularly cozy or comfortable dwelling or area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KAASA" can be found in the 1601 census records of the Norwegian town of Trondheim. The entry lists a "Hans Kaasa," a farmer who owned a modest plot of land on the outskirts of the town. It is possible that this Hans Kaasa was one of the first to bear the name, though its origins may predate this record.
In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Norway, with records showing families with the surname "KAASA" living in the coastal regions of Møre og Romsdal and Nordland. The name may have been adopted by those who settled in these areas, perhaps seeking a more comfortable or cozy life by the sea.
One notable bearer of the name "KAASA" was Johan Kaasa (1656-1732), a prominent Norwegian merchant and shipowner from the city of Bergen. His successful trading ventures and fleet of ships brought him considerable wealth and influence during his lifetime.
Another historical figure with the surname "KAASA" was Ingrid Kaasa (1785-1862), a Norwegian author and poet who wrote extensively about rural life and the struggles of the common people. Her works, such as the collection "Folkelivsbilleder" (Pictures of Folk Life), provided valuable insights into the customs and traditions of her time.
In the 19th century, the name "KAASA" also found its way to the United States, with immigrants from Norway settling in areas like Minnesota and North Dakota. One such immigrant was Ole Kaasa (1820-1892), who arrived in the United States in 1848 and established a successful farm in Goodhue County, Minnesota.
Another notable figure with the surname "KAASA" was Torstein Kaasa (1872-1941), a Norwegian-American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the experiences of Norwegian immigrants in the United States. His works, including the novel "Nybyggere" (Settlers), provided a vivid portrayal of the challenges and struggles faced by those seeking a new life in America.
While the surname "KAASA" may not be as widely known as some other Norwegian names, its origins and historical significance are deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of Norway. From farmers and merchants to authors and poets, those who have borne this name have left their mark on the tapestry of Norwegian and Norwegian-American history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kaasa
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kaasa 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 Kaasa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 261
- Two or more races5.8% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kaasa
Kaasa 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
#65,066
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 305
+18 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 316 places
2020
#71,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 294
-11 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 6,414 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #64,750 | 287 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #65,066 | 305 | 0.10 | +18 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 316 places |
| 2020 | #71,480 | 294 | 0.10 | -11 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 6,414 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 Kaasa 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 | #65,066 | #71,480 | -9.9% |
| Count | 305 | 294 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.10 | -1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kaasa bearers went from 305 to 294 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 6,414 positions in the national ranking, going from #65,066 to #71,480.
FAQ
Kaasa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kaasa?
Name Census estimates that about 337 living Americans carry the surname Kaasa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,017,075 residents.
How common is Kaasa?
Kaasa ranks #71,480 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 294 people with the surname Kaasa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (337), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Kaasa.
Has Kaasa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kaasa went from 305 recorded bearers to 294. That is a decrease of 11 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #65,066 to #71,480.
What does the Census say about the background of Kaasa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Kaasa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (261 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kaasa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Two or More Races (5.8%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Kaasa (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 Kaasa mean?
A surname likely of Scandinavian origin, possibly from the Old Norse word "kasa" meaning basket or crate. 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 Kaasa (0.10 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 have the last name Kaasa?
See how many people have the surname Kaasa on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.