2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Kapas
A surname potentially derived from the Latvian word for cotton or the German word meaning 'cup'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Kapas. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kapas 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Kapas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kapas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kapas
The surname KAPAS has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the regions that now comprise modern-day India and Pakistan. The name can be traced back to the 16th century, and it is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "kapas," which means cotton.
In ancient times, the Indian subcontinent was renowned for its thriving cotton industry, and many families were involved in the cultivation, processing, and trading of cotton. It is likely that the KAPAS surname was initially adopted by individuals or families who were associated with this lucrative trade.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the KAPAS surname can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document contains references to individuals with the KAPAS surname, indicating their presence and prominence in the region during that era.
During the 17th century, the KAPAS surname appears in various historical records and manuscripts, including trade documents and land ownership records. This suggests that members of the KAPAS family had established themselves as influential merchants, landowners, or individuals of importance within their respective communities.
One notable individual bearing the KAPAS surname was Rai Bahadur Kapas Malik (1850-1925), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Punjab, British India. He made significant contributions to the development of the region's cotton industry and was actively involved in social and educational initiatives.
Another prominent figure was Kapas Chand Bhandari (1867-1944), a renowned scholar and educationist from Rajasthan, British India. He was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and promoting literary works in the region.
In the 19th century, the KAPAS surname can be found in various records from the British colonial era, such as census data and land ownership records. This indicates that members of the KAPAS family had migrated or established themselves in different parts of the Indian subcontinent during this period.
The KAPAS surname has also been associated with several place names in the Indian subcontinent, such as Kapas Hera and Kapas Khas, which were likely named after individuals or families bearing this surname. These place names further reinforce the historical significance and geographic spread of the KAPAS surname.
Throughout history, individuals with the KAPAS surname have made significant contributions in various fields, including business, education, literature, and philanthropy. While the name may have originated from a connection to the cotton industry, it has since transcended its initial association and become a respected surname in its own right.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kapas
Among Census respondents with the surname Kapas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kapas 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 Kapas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kapas
Kapas 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
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+14 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,404 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 13,404 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 Kapas 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 | #158,432 | #145,028 | 8.5% |
| Count | 102 | 116 | 13.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kapas bearers went from 102 to 116 (+13.7% change). The surname moved up 13,404 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #145,028.
FAQ
Kapas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kapas?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Kapas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Kapas?
Kapas ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Kapas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Kapas.
Has Kapas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kapas went from 102 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 14 (+13.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Kapas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kapas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Kapas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kapas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (4.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Kapas (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 Kapas mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Latvian word for cotton or the German word meaning 'cup'. 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 Kapas (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 Kapas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.