2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kalakay
An unusual surname potentially derived from a misspelling or mispronunciation of another name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Kalakay. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kalakay 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Kalakay in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalakay, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kalakay
The surname KALAKAY has its origins in the Philippines, specifically in the Tagalog region. It is believed to have emerged during the 16th century when the Spanish colonizers were establishing their presence in the archipelago.
The name KALAKAY is thought to be derived from the Tagalog word "kalakay," which means "elder" or "respected one." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who held positions of authority or were revered within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KALAKAY can be found in the 17th-century Spanish colonial records of the Philippines. These documents mentioned a village leader named Juan KALAKAY, who played a pivotal role in mediating disputes between the Spanish authorities and the local population.
Throughout the centuries, the KALAKAY surname has been associated with several notable figures. In the late 18th century, a prominent poet and playwright named Maria KALAKAY gained recognition for her contributions to the development of Tagalog literature.
During the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in the late 19th century, a revolutionary leader named Andres KALAKAY played a crucial role in organizing resistance movements in the province of Bulacan.
In the early 20th century, a renowned artist named Joaquin KALAKAY gained acclaim for his vibrant depictions of Philippine rural life, capturing the essence of the country's cultural heritage through his intricate paintings.
Another notable figure with the KALAKAY surname was Lourdes KALAKAY, a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the Philippines during the 1950s, promoting equal access to education for women.
While the KALAKAY surname has its roots in the Philippines, it has since spread around the world through migration and diaspora communities. The name continues to carry a sense of respect and honor, reflecting its historical significance in Filipino culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kalakay
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalakay, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kalakay 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 Kalakay surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kalakay
Kalakay 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,366 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,490 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,366 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 8,490 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 Kalakay 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 | #143,149 | #151,639 | -5.9% |
| Count | 116 | 107 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kalakay bearers went from 116 to 107 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 8,490 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #151,639.
FAQ
Kalakay surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kalakay?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Kalakay. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Kalakay?
Kalakay ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Kalakay. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Kalakay.
Has Kalakay become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kalakay went from 116 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Kalakay?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalakay, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Kalakay in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kalakay appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Kalakay (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 Kalakay mean?
An unusual surname potentially derived from a misspelling or mispronunciation of another name. 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 Kalakay (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 Kalakay?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.