2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kahananui
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the great beginning" or "great source".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Kahananui. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kahananui 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Kahananui in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahananui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.4%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kahananui
The surname KAHANANUI is of Hawaiian origin, dating back to the ancient Polynesian settlement of the Hawaiian Islands. It is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian words "kahana," meaning a source or a place where water flows, and "nui," meaning large or great.
The earliest known historical reference to the name KAHANANUI can be found in the oral traditions and chants of the Hawaiian people, which were passed down through generations before being recorded in written form. These chants often mentioned places and people of significance, including those with the surname KAHANANUI.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname KAHANANUI was Kahananui-o-Kahuahiwinui, a Hawaiian chief who lived in the late 16th century. He was known for his wisdom and leadership, and his name has been recorded in various historical accounts and genealogies.
Another notable figure was Kahananui Kamahohe, a Hawaiian scholar and historian who lived in the 18th century. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of Hawaiian history, customs, and traditions, and his works have been invaluable in preserving the cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people.
In the 19th century, there were several individuals with the surname KAHANANUI who played significant roles in the Hawaiian Kingdom. One such person was Kahananui Mahoe, a high-ranking chief and advisor to King Kamehameha III. He was instrumental in the development of the Hawaiian legal system and the preservation of Hawaiian land rights.
During the same period, Kahananui Keaumoku was a prominent Hawaiian politician and diplomat. He served as a member of the Hawaiian House of Nobles and was involved in negotiating treaties and diplomatic relations with foreign nations.
Another notable figure was Kahananui Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian swimmer and surfer who lived in the early 20th century. He is widely regarded as the "Father of Modern Surfing" and was instrumental in popularizing the sport around the world. He won multiple Olympic medals and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
The surname KAHANANUI continues to be associated with Hawaiian culture, history, and traditions, and many individuals with this surname have made significant contributions to various fields, including academia, arts, and community service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kahananui
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahananui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.4%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kahananui 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 Kahananui surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander63.9% · 76
- Two or more races24.4% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- White4.2% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kahananui
Kahananui appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,560 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 3,560 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 Kahananui 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 | #139,228 | #142,788 | -2.6% |
| Count | 120 | 119 | -0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kahananui bearers went from 120 to 119 (-0.8% change). The surname moved down 3,560 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #142,788.
FAQ
Kahananui surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kahananui?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Kahananui. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Kahananui?
Kahananui ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 119 people with the surname Kahananui. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Kahananui.
Has Kahananui become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kahananui went from 120 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Kahananui?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahananui, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (24.4%) and Hispanic (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 Kahananui in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.9% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kahananui appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (63.9%), Two or More Races (24.4%), Hispanic (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 Kahananui (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 Kahananui mean?
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the great beginning" or "great source". 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 Kahananui (0.04 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 Kahananui?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.