2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kahapea
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the spread out" or "the scattered."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Kahapea. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kahapea 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Kahapea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahapea, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 46.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (38.5%) and White (10.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kahapea
The surname KAHAPEA has its origins in the Hawaiian islands, tracing back to the late 18th century. It is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian words "kaha," meaning "to glow or radiate," and "pea," signifying "flower." This combination suggests a connection to the radiant beauty of Hawaiian flora.
The earliest records of the KAHAPEA name can be found in the genealogical accounts maintained by Hawaiian chieftains and oral traditions passed down through generations. These sources mention individuals bearing this surname in the lush valleys and coastal regions of the Hawaiian islands.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the KAHAPEA surname was Kahili KAHAPEA, a renowned hula master and chanter who lived in the early 19th century. His contributions to preserving Hawaiian cultural practices and traditions were highly regarded.
In the mid-19th century, the name appears in historical accounts of the Hawaiian Kingdom, with Keawe KAHAPEA serving as a trusted advisor to King Kamehameha III. Keawe's expertise in diplomacy and navigation played a crucial role in strengthening Hawaiian alliances with foreign nations.
Another notable figure was Kaimana KAHAPEA, a skilled navigator and explorer who embarked on daring voyages across the Pacific in the late 19th century. His journeys expanded the knowledge of oceanic currents and island habitats, contributing to the rich seafaring legacy of Hawaiians.
During the early 20th century, the KAHAPEA name gained prominence in the field of horticulture. Nalani KAHAPEA (1892-1972) was a pioneering botanist who dedicated her life to studying and preserving the unique plant species of the Hawaiian islands. Her work laid the foundation for modern conservation efforts in the region.
Lastly, the KAHAPEA surname has deep roots in Hawaiian music and dance. Keahi KAHAPEA (1921-2003) was a revered kumu hula (hula master) who taught and performed traditional hula for over six decades, ensuring the transmission of this cultural art form to future generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kahapea
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahapea, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 46.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (38.5%) and White (10.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Kahapea 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 Kahapea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander46.8% · 51
- Two or more races38.5% · 42
- White10.1% · 11
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kahapea
Kahapea 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 190 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-4 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,004 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Down 190 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 4,004 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 Kahapea 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 | #146,201 | #150,205 | -2.7% |
| Count | 113 | 109 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kahapea bearers went from 113 to 109 (-3.5% change). The surname moved down 4,004 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #150,205.
FAQ
Kahapea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kahapea?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Kahapea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Kahapea?
Kahapea ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Kahapea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Kahapea.
Has Kahapea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kahapea went from 113 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Kahapea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahapea, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 46.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (38.5%) and White (10.1%). 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 Kahapea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.8% (51 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kahapea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (46.8%), Two or More Races (38.5%), White (10.1%). 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 Kahapea (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 Kahapea mean?
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the spread out" or "the scattered." 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 Kahapea (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 people have the last name Kahapea?
See how many people are called Kahapea on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.