2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kalathil
An Indian surname from the Malayalam language meaning "one from the abode".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 150 Americans carry the last name Kalathil. That puts it at #133,930 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,285,029 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kalathil 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
150
1 in 2,285,029
Census rank
#133,930
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
131
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 131 bearers of the surname Kalathil in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 133930th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalathil, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kalathil
The surname KALATHIL originated in Kerala, a state in the southern part of India. The name dates back to the medieval period and is believed to have roots in the Malayalam language, which is native to Kerala. The word "Kalathil" is derived from the Malayalam words "Kala," meaning "art" or "performance," and "Thil," meaning "place" or "venue." Therefore, the name KALATHIL could have initially referred to individuals who resided in or were associated with a place where artistic or cultural performances took place.
In ancient Kerala, there were several regions known for their rich cultural heritage and patronage of the arts, including music, dance, and theater. The name KALATHIL may have originated in these areas, where individuals or families were closely tied to the local arts and performance traditions. However, there is limited documentation available about the specific origins of this surname.
One of the earliest known references to the name KALATHIL can be found in the records of the Travancore Kingdom, which ruled over parts of present-day Kerala between the 17th and 19th centuries. These records mention individuals with the surname KALATHIL holding positions as court performers, musicians, or artists during the reign of various Travancore rulers.
Among the notable individuals with the surname KALATHIL throughout history are:
1. Kalathil Kunhikrishnan (1835-1904), a renowned Malayalam poet and playwright from the Travancore region.
2. Kalathil Sreedharan Nair (1890-1972), a prominent Malayalam writer and social reformer from the early 20th century.
3. Kalathil Viswanathan (1902-1982), a celebrated Kathakali dancer and choreographer, who was honored with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards.
4. Kalathil Gopi (born 1942), a renowned Malayalam film director and screenwriter, known for his influential works in the 1970s and 1980s.
5. Kalathil Madhavan (1927-2012), a respected Kathakali musician and exponent of the Mizhavu, a traditional percussion instrument.
The surname KALATHIL continues to be prevalent in various parts of Kerala and among the Malayali diaspora around the world. It serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions that have shaped the region for centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kalathil
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalathil, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kalathil 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 Kalathil surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander94.7% · 124
- White3.8% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kalathil
Kalathil 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
#133,930
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
+11 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,298 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #133,930 | 131 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 5,298 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 Kalathil 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 | #139,228 | #133,930 | 3.8% |
| Count | 120 | 131 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kalathil bearers went from 120 to 131 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 5,298 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #133,930.
FAQ
Kalathil surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kalathil?
Name Census estimates that about 150 living Americans carry the surname Kalathil. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,285,029 residents.
How common is Kalathil?
Kalathil ranks #133,930 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 131 people with the surname Kalathil. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (150), 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 Kalathil.
Has Kalathil become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kalathil went from 120 recorded bearers to 131. That is an increase of 11 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #139,228 to #133,930.
What does the Census say about the background of Kalathil?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalathil, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kalathil in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (124 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kalathil appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (94.7%), White (3.8%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Kalathil (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 Kalathil mean?
An Indian surname from the Malayalam language meaning "one from the abode". 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 Kalathil (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 Kalathil?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.