2000
#8,599
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,523
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.31
Rare Last name
Kass
A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew word for "cup" or "goblet," likely referring to a ceremonial cup engraver.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,930 Americans carry the last name Kass. That puts it at #9,152 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,215 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kass 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 Kass with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.9K
1 in 87,215
Census rank
#9,152
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,427 bearers of the surname Kass in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9152nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kass, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kass
The surname Kass has its origins in the German language, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "kasse," which means "box" or "chest." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who made or sold boxes or chests.
In Germany, the surname Kass was particularly common in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a document from the town of Nürnberg, dated 1287, which mentions a person named Hans Kass.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Cass, Kasse, and Kasse. In some instances, the name was also associated with certain place names. For example, in the Netherlands, the surname Kass was sometimes linked to the town of Kasse, located in the province of Friesland.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Kass. One of the earliest was Johann Kass (1470-1542), a German painter and engraver who was active in Nuremberg during the Renaissance period. Another prominent figure was Theodor Kass (1835-1904), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on church history.
In the 20th century, the name Kass gained recognition through individuals such as Lewis Kass (1904-1975), an American painter and lithographer known for his depictions of urban life. Additionally, Leon R. Kass (born 1939) is an American philosopher and bioethicist who served as the chairman of the President's Council on Bioethics from 2001 to 2005.
Notably, the surname Kass has also been associated with prominent figures in the field of literature. One example is Sherry Kass (born 1947), an American author and playwright who has written several novels and plays. Another is Candace Kass (born 1972), a Canadian novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.
While the surname Kass has its roots in Germany and has spread across various regions, it remains a relatively uncommon name globally. However, it continues to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, each adding their own unique chapter to the rich history of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kass
Among Census respondents with the surname Kass, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kass 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 Kass surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 3,188
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 98
- Two or more races2.0% · 68
- Black or African American1.0% · 34
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kass
Kass 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
#8,655
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,796
+273 bearers (+7.7%)
Per 100,000 1.29
Rank movement Down 56 places
2020
#9,152
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,427
-369 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 497 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,599 | 3,523 | 1.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,655 | 3,796 | 1.29 | +273 bearers (+7.7%) | Down 56 places |
| 2020 | #9,152 | 3,427 | 1.15 | -369 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 497 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 Kass 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 | #8,655 | #9,152 | -5.7% |
| Count | 3,796 | 3,427 | -9.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.29 | 1.15 | -11.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kass bearers went from 3,796 to 3,427 (-9.7% change). The surname moved down 497 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,655 to #9,152.
FAQ
Kass surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kass?
Name Census estimates that about 3,930 living Americans carry the surname Kass. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,215 residents.
How common is Kass?
Kass ranks #9,152 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.15 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 3,427 people with the surname Kass. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,930), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.15 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 Kass.
Has Kass become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kass went from 3,796 recorded bearers to 3,427. That is a decrease of 369 (-9.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,655 to #9,152.
What does the Census say about the background of Kass?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kass, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Kass in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (3,188 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kass appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Kass (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 Kass mean?
A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew word for "cup" or "goblet," likely referring to a ceremonial cup engraver. 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 Kass (1.15 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 surname Kass?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.