2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kalwa
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a location or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Kalwa. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kalwa 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Kalwa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (14.9%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kalwa
The surname KALWA has its origins in India, specifically in the western state of Maharashtra. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century CE.
The name KALWA is derived from the Marathi language, and it is thought to be associated with the town of Kalwa, which is located near the city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The town of Kalwa has a rich history dating back to the Maurya Empire, and it was an important center of trade and commerce during the medieval era.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname KALWA can be found in the Peshwa Daftar, which is a collection of historical records maintained by the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire. These records date back to the 17th and 18th centuries and contain references to individuals with the surname KALWA who held various positions in the Maratha administration.
In the 16th century, Kalwa was a prominent port town and served as a significant trading hub for the Portuguese empire in India. Records from this period suggest that the surname KALWA was associated with families involved in maritime trade and commerce.
Notable individuals with the surname KALWA throughout history include:
1. Shivaji Kalwa (1627-1680), a Maratha warrior and military leader who played a significant role in the establishment of the Maratha Empire.
2. Govind Kalwa (1675-1740), a renowned poet and scholar of the Marathi language, known for his literary works and contributions to the Bhakti movement.
3. Laxmi Kalwa (1820-1890), a social reformer and pioneer in the field of women's education in Maharashtra.
4. Pandurang Kalwa (1875-1945), a prominent architect and urban planner who designed several iconic buildings in Mumbai during the British colonial era.
5. Vidya Kalwa (1930-2015), a celebrated classical dancer and choreographer, recognized for her contributions to the revival of the Kathak dance form.
The surname KALWA has also been associated with various place names in the region, such as Kalwa Nagar, Kalwa Taluka, and Kalwa Village, further reinforcing its connection to the geographical area.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kalwa
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (14.9%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kalwa 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 Kalwa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.8% · 99
- Asian and Pacific Islander14.9% · 18
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kalwa
Kalwa 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+18 bearers (+17.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,459 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,860 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 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+17.1%) | Up 8,459 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 4,860 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 Kalwa 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 | #136,449 | #141,309 | -3.6% |
| Count | 123 | 121 | -1.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kalwa bearers went from 123 to 121 (-1.6% change). The surname moved down 4,860 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #141,309.
FAQ
Kalwa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kalwa?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Kalwa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Kalwa?
Kalwa ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Kalwa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Kalwa.
Has Kalwa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kalwa went from 123 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Kalwa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kalwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (14.9%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Kalwa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.8% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kalwa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (14.9%), Black (1.7%). 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 Kalwa (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 Kalwa mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a location 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 Kalwa (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 Kalwa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.