2000
#9,641
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,094
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Rare Last name
Kale
A surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with cabbage or other leafy vegetables.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,332 Americans carry the last name Kale. That puts it at #8,395 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 79,122 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kale 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kale with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.3K
1 in 79,122
Census rank
#8,395
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,778 bearers of the surname Kale in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8395th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kale, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (30.0%) and Black (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kale
The surname Kale is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is derived from the Old English word "calu," which means "callow" or "bare." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a bare or treeless area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kale can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Calu." This indicates that the name was already in use during the 11th century in England.
Historically, the Kale surname was also associated with various place names, such as Calehill and Calehurst. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root word, "calu," and may have influenced the surname's development.
In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Calehulle, who lived in Nottinghamshire, England. This early example demonstrates the evolution of the surname from its Old English origins to a more recognizable form.
One notable individual with the surname Kale was Sir John Kale, who lived during the 15th century and served as a military commander under King Henry V of England. He participated in the famous Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.
Another prominent figure was William Kale, born in 1650 in Yorkshire, England. He was a renowned clockmaker and inventor, renowned for his pioneering work in developing more accurate timepieces.
In the 18th century, John Kale (1714-1792) was a successful merchant and landowner in Lancashire, England. He played a significant role in the local community and was known for his philanthropic efforts.
Moving into the 19th century, Sarah Kale (1824-1892) was a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights in England. She founded several schools and campaigned tirelessly for equal educational opportunities for girls and women.
Finally, in the early 20th century, Arthur Kale (1878-1952) was a respected botanist and horticulturist. He made significant contributions to the study and cultivation of various plant species, particularly those native to the British Isles.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kale
Among Census respondents with the surname Kale, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (30.0%) and Black (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kale 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 Kale surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White59.4% · 2,244
- Asian and Pacific Islander30.0% · 1,133
- Black or African American4.9% · 184
- Two or more races3.1% · 119
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kale
Kale 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
#8,518
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,864
+770 bearers (+24.9%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Up 1,123 places
2020
#8,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,778
-86 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Up 123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,641 | 3,094 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,518 | 3,864 | 1.31 | +770 bearers (+24.9%) | Up 1,123 places |
| 2020 | #8,395 | 3,778 | 1.26 | -86 bearers (-2.2%) | Up 123 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 Kale 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 | #8,518 | #8,395 | 1.4% |
| Count | 3,864 | 3,778 | -2.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.31 | 1.26 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kale bearers went from 3,864 to 3,778 (-2.2% change). The surname moved up 123 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,518 to #8,395.
FAQ
Kale surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kale?
Name Census estimates that about 4,332 living Americans carry the surname Kale. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 79,122 residents.
How common is Kale?
Kale ranks #8,395 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,778 people with the surname Kale. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,332), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Kale.
Has Kale become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kale went from 3,864 recorded bearers to 3,778. That is a decrease of 86 (-2.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,518 to #8,395.
What does the Census say about the background of Kale?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kale, the largest self-reported group is White at 59.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (30.0%) and Black (4.9%). 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 Kale in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.4% (2,244 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kale appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (59.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (30.0%), Black (4.9%). 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 Kale (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 Kale mean?
A surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with cabbage or other leafy vegetables. 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 Kale (1.26 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 have the last name Kale?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Kale is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.