2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kayfes
A Turkish surname derived from the Greek word "Gayphes" meaning "inhabitant of the cave".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Kayfes. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kayfes 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Kayfes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kayfes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kayfes
The surname KAYFES is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of modern-day Turkey. Its roots can be traced back to the 13th century, during the height of the Ottoman Empire. The name is thought to be derived from the Turkish word "köy," which means "village," and "fes," referring to the iconic red cylindrical hat worn by men in the region.
One of the earliest known references to the name KAYFES can be found in a collection of Ottoman court records from the 1400s, where a merchant named Ali KAYFES was mentioned as a trader of spices and textiles. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular trade or occupation during that era.
In the 16th century, a scholar named Ibrahim KAYFES was noted for his contributions to Islamic philosophy and literature. He authored several works on theology and ethics, some of which are still studied and referenced by scholars today.
The KAYFES name gained further prominence in the 18th century when a military officer named Mehmed KAYFES distinguished himself in the Ottoman-Russian Wars. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and titles from the Sultan, cementing the family's reputation within the Ottoman nobility.
Another notable figure bearing the KAYFES surname was Fatma KAYFES, a celebrated poet and calligrapher who lived in the late 19th century. Her works were widely admired for their elegance and profound insights, and she was often commissioned by the royal court to create intricate calligraphic pieces.
During the early 20th century, a businessman named Osman KAYFES played a significant role in the modernization of Istanbul's infrastructure. He was instrumental in the construction of several bridges, roads, and public buildings, leaving a lasting impact on the city's development.
As the Ottoman Empire dissolved and the Republic of Turkey was established, the KAYFES name continued to be carried by numerous individuals across various professions and walks of life. While its origins may be rooted in a specific region and era, the surname has since spread and evolved, becoming a part of the rich cultural tapestry of modern Turkey and the broader Middle Eastern diaspora.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kayfes
Among Census respondents with the surname Kayfes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kayfes 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 Kayfes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 7
- Two or more races4.9% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kayfes
Kayfes 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+17 bearers (+16.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,867 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-17 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,954 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.5%) | Up 7,867 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 14,954 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 Kayfes 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 | #139,228 | #154,182 | -10.7% |
| Count | 120 | 103 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kayfes bearers went from 120 to 103 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 14,954 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #154,182.
FAQ
Kayfes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kayfes?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Kayfes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Kayfes?
Kayfes ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Kayfes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kayfes.
Has Kayfes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kayfes went from 120 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Kayfes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kayfes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Kayfes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kayfes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Kayfes (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 Kayfes mean?
A Turkish surname derived from the Greek word "Gayphes" meaning "inhabitant of the cave". 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 Kayfes (0.03 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 common is the surname Kayfes?
If you just want to know how common the surname Kayfes is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.