2000
#15,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,762
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.65
Rare Last name
Kadlec
A surname derived from the Czech word 'kadlec', meaning a spinner or weaver.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,054 Americans carry the last name Kadlec. That puts it at #15,699 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 166,872 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kadlec 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
2.1K
1 in 166,872
Census rank
#15,699
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,791 bearers of the surname Kadlec in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15699th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kadlec, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kadlec
The surname Kadlec has its origins in the Czech Republic, tracing back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Czech word "kadlec," which refers to a small bucket or pail. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname associated with those who crafted or sold these vessels.
One of the earliest documented references to the Kadlec name can be found in the records of the village of Sedlec in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. These records, dating back to the late 1400s, mention several individuals bearing the Kadlec surname, indicating that the name had already become established in the area.
As the name spread throughout the region, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Kadletz, Kadlecz, and Kadlitz. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times.
In the 16th century, the Kadlec name gained prominence with the birth of Jan Kadlec (1509-1589), a renowned Czech composer and organist who served at the court of Emperor Maximilian II. His compositions and contributions to sacred music during the Renaissance period have earned him a place in the annals of Czech musical history.
Another notable figure bearing the Kadlec surname was Vaclav Kadlec (1720-1798), a Czech architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several churches and monasteries in the Bohemian region. His masterpiece, the Church of St. Michael in Olomouc, is considered one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the Czech lands.
In the 19th century, the Kadlec name found its way into the realm of literature with the birth of Karel Kadlec (1865-1928), a Czech poet and writer known for his works that captured the essence of rural life in Bohemia. His collection of poems, "V chalupě na vsi" (In the Village Cottage), is regarded as a classic of Czech literature.
As the Kadlec surname spread beyond the borders of the Czech Republic, it also gained recognition in other parts of Europe. One such individual was Josef Kadlec (1896-1966), a Czech-born Austrian footballer who played as a defender for various clubs in Austria and Germany during the early 20th century.
Another notable figure was Václav Kadlec (1910-1985), a Czech-born American engineer and inventor who played a significant role in the development of early computing technologies. His contributions to the field of electrical engineering earned him numerous patents and accolades.
While the Kadlec surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on various aspects of history, from music and architecture to literature and sports, spanning several centuries and geographic regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kadlec
Among Census respondents with the surname Kadlec, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Kadlec 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 Kadlec surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 1,662
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 64
- Two or more races2.2% · 39
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 9
- Black or African American0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kadlec
Kadlec 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
#15,533
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,884
+122 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 224 places
2020
#15,699
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,791
-93 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Down 166 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,309 | 1,762 | 0.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,533 | 1,884 | 0.64 | +122 bearers (+6.9%) | Down 224 places |
| 2020 | #15,699 | 1,791 | 0.60 | -93 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 166 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 Kadlec 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 | #15,533 | #15,699 | -1.1% |
| Count | 1,884 | 1,791 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.60 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kadlec bearers went from 1,884 to 1,791 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 166 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,533 to #15,699.
FAQ
Kadlec surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kadlec?
Name Census estimates that about 2,054 living Americans carry the surname Kadlec. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 166,872 residents.
How common is Kadlec?
Kadlec ranks #15,699 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 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 1,791 people with the surname Kadlec. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,054), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 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 Kadlec.
Has Kadlec become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kadlec went from 1,884 recorded bearers to 1,791. That is a decrease of 93 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,533 to #15,699.
What does the Census say about the background of Kadlec?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kadlec, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Kadlec in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (1,662 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kadlec appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Kadlec (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 Kadlec mean?
A surname derived from the Czech word 'kadlec', meaning a spinner or weaver. 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 Kadlec (0.60 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 Americans have the surname Kadlec?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.