2000
#6,067
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,213
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.93
Rare Last name
Kahl
A German and Jewish occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "kale," meaning "bald" or "bareheaded."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,751 Americans carry the last name Kahl. That puts it at #6,505 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 59,599 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kahl 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
5.8K
1 in 59,599
Census rank
#6,505
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,015 bearers of the surname Kahl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6505th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kahl
The surname KAHL originated in Germany and is believed to have derived from a medieval German word meaning "bald" or "hairless". It likely started as a nickname for someone who had little or no hair, which was then adopted as a hereditary surname.
The earliest recorded instances of the name KAHL can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Bavaria and Saxony. Some of the earliest known spellings include Kale, Kahle, and Kahll.
In the 14th century, the name KAHL appeared in several historical records and documents, including the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents related to the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This suggests that individuals with the surname KAHL were present in that region during that time period.
One notable early bearer of the name KAHL was Johannes Kahl, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century (c. 1438-1508). He was known for his work on biblical exegesis and his teachings at the University of Leipzig.
Another historical figure with the surname KAHL was Johann Kahl, a German painter who lived in the 16th century (c. 1530-1600). He was known for his religious paintings and worked primarily in the city of Nuremberg.
In the 17th century, the name KAHL appeared in records related to the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which ravaged parts of Germany. Many individuals with the surname KAHL were likely affected by the conflict and its aftermath.
One notable bearer of the name during this time was Hans Kahl, a German soldier and military leader who served in the Imperial Army during the Thirty Years' War (c. 1590-1650). He was known for his bravery and tactical skills in battle.
In the 18th century, the name KAHL was also found in various records and documents related to the German states and principalities, suggesting that individuals with this surname continued to have a presence in different regions of what is now modern-day Germany.
A notable figure from this time period was Johann Christian Kahl, a German composer and organist who lived from 1723 to 1794. He was known for his compositions for the organ and his work as a church musician in Leipzig.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kahl
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Kahl 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 Kahl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 4,642
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 162
- Two or more races3.1% · 154
- Black or African American0.6% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kahl
Kahl 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
#6,508
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,215
+2 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 1.77
Rank movement Down 441 places
2020
#6,505
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,015
-200 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.68
Rank movement Up 3 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,067 | 5,213 | 1.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,508 | 5,215 | 1.77 | +2 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 441 places |
| 2020 | #6,505 | 5,015 | 1.68 | -200 bearers (-3.8%) | Up 3 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 Kahl 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 | #6,508 | #6,505 | 0.0% |
| Count | 5,215 | 5,015 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.77 | 1.68 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kahl bearers went from 5,215 to 5,015 (-3.8% change). The surname moved up 3 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,508 to #6,505.
FAQ
Kahl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kahl?
Name Census estimates that about 5,751 living Americans carry the surname Kahl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 59,599 residents.
How common is Kahl?
Kahl ranks #6,505 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,015 people with the surname Kahl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,751), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Kahl.
Has Kahl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kahl went from 5,215 recorded bearers to 5,015. That is a decrease of 200 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,508 to #6,505.
What does the Census say about the background of Kahl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kahl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (4,642 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kahl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (3.2%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Kahl (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 Kahl mean?
A German and Jewish occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "kale," meaning "bald" or "bareheaded." 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 Kahl (1.68 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 share the surname Kahl?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.