2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kavanah
An Aramaic surname meaning "intention", "devotion", or "direction of the heart".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Kavanah. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kavanah 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Kavanah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kavanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kavanah
The surname KAVANAH has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the word "kavana," which means "intention" or "direction." The name is believed to have originated among Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded instances of the KAVANAH surname can be traced back to the 16th century in various rabbinical texts and legal documents from Poland and Ukraine. It is thought that the name was initially adopted by individuals who were known for their devout religious practices and their ability to maintain a focused and intentional mindset during prayer and study.
One of the earliest known bearers of the KAVANAH surname was Rabbi Yitzchak ben Avraham KAVANAH, a prominent Torah scholar who lived in Krakow, Poland, in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of Jewish law and his dedication to the study of the Talmud.
In the 17th century, the KAVANAH name appeared in various records and manuscripts from the Jewish communities of Vilnius, Lithuania, and Berdychiv, Ukraine. During this period, several members of the KAVANAH family were noted for their contributions to the field of Kabbalah, the mystical interpretation of Jewish texts.
One notable figure from this era was Rabbi Moshe ben Shlomo KAVANAH, who lived in Berdychiv in the late 17th century and was renowned for his mastery of Kabbalistic teachings. His writings and teachings attracted students from across Europe and played a significant role in the development of the Hasidic movement.
As the KAVANAH family spread throughout Eastern Europe, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, including Kavana, Kavannah, and Kovanah. These variations often reflected regional linguistic differences or the preferences of individual families.
In the 19th century, members of the KAVANAH family were among the many Jewish immigrants who fled persecution and sought refuge in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and countries in Western Europe. One notable figure from this period was Isaac KAVANAH, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who settled in New York City in the 1870s and played a significant role in supporting Jewish educational and charitable initiatives.
Throughout its history, the KAVANAH surname has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to Jewish scholarship, religious life, and community leadership. While the name may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over time, its roots in the concept of intentional and purposeful living have remained a defining characteristic.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kavanah
Among Census respondents with the surname Kavanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kavanah 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 Kavanah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kavanah
Kavanah 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,605 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+6 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,695 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,605 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.5%) | Up 4,695 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 Kavanah 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 | #150,452 | #145,757 | 3.1% |
| Count | 109 | 115 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kavanah bearers went from 109 to 115 (+5.5% change). The surname moved up 4,695 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #145,757.
FAQ
Kavanah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kavanah?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Kavanah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Kavanah?
Kavanah ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Kavanah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Kavanah.
Has Kavanah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kavanah went from 109 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 6 (+5.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Kavanah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kavanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (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 Kavanah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kavanah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.8%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (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 Kavanah (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 Kavanah mean?
An Aramaic surname meaning "intention", "devotion", or "direction of the heart". 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 Kavanah (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 people have the surname Kavanah?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.