Find out how popular the last name Karla is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Karla.

Karla, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Karla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karla in America

Karla is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karla surname appeared 140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Karla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karla to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Karla

The surname Karla is of German origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century. The name is derived from the medieval German word "karl," which means "free man" or "peasant." It is also believed to be related to the Old Norse name "Karl," which means "strong" or "masculine."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Karla can be found in the records of the city of Augsburg, Germany, where a man named Hans Karla was listed as a resident in the late 16th century. The name was also found in other parts of southern Germany, such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, during this time period.

The surname Karla has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johann Karla, a German composer and organist who lived in the 17th century. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the North German Organ School, a style of organ music that was popular in the region during the Baroque period.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Karl Karla, a German military officer who served in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and was awarded several medals for his bravery and leadership.

In the 19th century, a German artist named Emil Karla gained recognition for his landscape paintings, which often depicted scenes of rural life in Germany. He was born in 1823 in the town of Meissen, and his works are still highly regarded by art critics and historians today.

A more recent bearer of the surname Karla was Hans Karla, a German politician who served as a member of the Bundestag, the national parliament of Germany, from 1949 to 1965. He was a member of the Christian Democratic Union party and was known for his advocacy of social welfare policies and environmental protection.

Overall, the surname Karla has a rich history that spans several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, military officers, composers, and politicians. While its origins may be humble, the name has become a part of the cultural heritage of Germany and has left an indelible mark on the country's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karla

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Karla.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Karla was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Karla has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Karla was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Karla, please contact us.

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