2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kahlke
A surname of German or Scandinavian origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Kahlke. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kahlke 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Kahlke in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahlke, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kahlke
The surname Kahlke originates from Germany, specifically from the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged around the 16th century and is derived from the Low German word "kalen," which means "to chat or gossip." This suggests that the name may have been initially assigned as a nickname for someone who was known for their talkative nature or sociability.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kahlke can be found in the city of Rostock, located in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Historical records from the late 16th century mention a family with the surname Kahlke residing in this area. The name also appears in various church registers and municipal documents from other northern German towns and villages during this time period.
While the Kahlke surname does not appear in significant historical records like the Domesday Book, it is worth noting that the name has been associated with several notable individuals over the centuries. One such individual was Johann Kahlke, a German composer and organist who lived in the 17th century and composed several works for the organ and choir.
Another prominent figure with the Kahlke surname was Friedrich Kahlke, a German sculptor who was born in 1854 and died in 1923. He was known for his works in bronze and marble, and several of his sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces throughout Germany.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Karl Kahlke made significant contributions to the field of theology. Born in 1826 in Saxony, he served as a Lutheran pastor and authored several books on religious topics, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.
Moving into the 20th century, one cannot overlook the achievements of Helene Kahlke, a German gymnast who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. She won a silver medal in the team combined exercise event, showcasing her skill and dedication to the sport.
It is important to note that while the Kahlke surname has a rich history in Germany, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to emigration and migration patterns. However, the focus of this report remains on the origins and historical significance of the name within the German context.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kahlke
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahlke, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kahlke 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 Kahlke surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 93
- Two or more races5.9% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kahlke
Kahlke 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,544 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,303 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 5,544 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,303 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 Kahlke 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 | #150,452 | #154,755 | -2.9% |
| Count | 109 | 102 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kahlke bearers went from 109 to 102 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,303 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,755.
FAQ
Kahlke surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kahlke?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Kahlke. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Kahlke?
Kahlke ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Kahlke. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kahlke.
Has Kahlke become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kahlke went from 109 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Kahlke?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kahlke, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Kahlke in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kahlke appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Kahlke (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 Kahlke mean?
A surname of German or Scandinavian origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupation. 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 Kahlke (0.03 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 Kahlke?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.