2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kakavas
An uncommon Greek surname possibly derived from the name of an olive tree cultivar.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Kakavas. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kakavas 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Kakavas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kakavas, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kakavas
The surname KAKAVAS is of Greek origin, with its roots traceable to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Greek island of Crete, where it was initially spelled as "Kakavatzis" or "Kakavatos."
This surname is derived from the Greek word "kakavos," which means "quail." It is speculated that the name was initially given to someone who had a particular affinity for these birds or perhaps even hunted them.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the KAKAVAS surname can be found in the archives of the Venetian Republic, which ruled over parts of Greece during the 13th and 14th centuries. A document from the year 1387 lists a certain "Georgios Kakavatzis" as a landowner in the village of Arkalochori, near the city of Heraklion in Crete.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Ioannis KAKAVAS (1520-1592) was a prominent scholar and linguist who played a crucial role in the preservation of ancient Greek texts. He worked as a scribe and translator for the Venetian authorities in Crete, contributing to the understanding and dissemination of classical Greek literature.
Another historical figure with this surname was Andreas KAKAVAS (1670-1745), a Greek Orthodox priest and theologian from the island of Chios. He was renowned for his writings on religious matters and his contributions to the intellectual life of the Greek community in the Ottoman Empire.
During the Greek War of Independence (1821-1832), a military officer named Nikolaos KAKAVAS (1785-1847) fought alongside the revolutionary forces against the Ottoman rule. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Siege of Missolonghi.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure in Greek politics was Konstantinos KAKAVAS (1827-1903). He served as a member of the Greek Parliament and played a significant role in the development of the country's educational system, advocating for the establishment of schools and the promotion of literacy.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who carried the KAKAVAS surname throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and significance in Greek culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kakavas
Among Census respondents with the surname Kakavas, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kakavas 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 Kakavas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kakavas
Kakavas 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
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-10 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,848 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 8,848 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 Kakavas 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 | #144,141 | #152,989 | -6.1% |
| Count | 115 | 105 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kakavas bearers went from 115 to 105 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 8,848 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #152,989.
FAQ
Kakavas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kakavas?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Kakavas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Kakavas?
Kakavas ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Kakavas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Kakavas.
Has Kakavas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kakavas went from 115 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Kakavas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kakavas, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%). 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 Kakavas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kakavas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Hispanic (4.8%). 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 Kakavas (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 Kakavas mean?
An uncommon Greek surname possibly derived from the name of an olive tree cultivar. 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 Kakavas (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 Kakavas?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.