2000
#65,668
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 282
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Kaza
A surname derived from the Slavic word for a town or village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 641 Americans carry the last name Kaza. That puts it at #41,891 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 534,718 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kaza 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
641
1 in 534,718
Census rank
#41,891
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
559
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 559 bearers of the surname Kaza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 41891st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaza, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 62.3%. The next largest groups are White (31.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kaza
The surname KAZA is believed to have originated in the Balkan region, specifically in Croatia and Serbia, where it was likely derived from a nickname or a shortened form of a longer name. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 14th century, during the medieval period in Europe.
One possible origin of the name KAZA is from the Slavic root word "kaz," which means "to command" or "to order." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who held a position of authority or leadership within their community. Alternatively, it could also be derived from the word "kazati," meaning "to tell" or "to narrate," potentially indicating that the name was associated with storytellers or bards.
In the 15th century, historical records from the region mention a nobleman named Petar KAZA, who held land and property in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence by that time. Another notable individual from the same era was Ivan KAZA, a merchant and trader from Serbia, who was mentioned in several trade documents from the period.
As the name spread throughout the Balkans and neighboring regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as KAZA, KAZA, and KAZA. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Marko KAZA was a military commander in the Ottoman Empire, serving under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. His exploits were recorded in Ottoman chronicles, further cementing the name's place in history.
During the 17th century, a Croatian scholar and writer named Juraj KAZA made significant contributions to the literary and cultural landscape of the region. His works, which included poetry and philosophical texts, were widely celebrated and helped to establish the KAZA name among the intellectual circles of the time.
Another noteworthy individual was Nikola KAZA, a Serbian architect from the 18th century who was responsible for designing several notable churches and buildings in Belgrade and other cities. His architectural legacy stands as a testament to the enduring impact of the KAZA name in the region.
While the surname KAZA may have originated in the Balkans, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and various historical events. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, carrying with them the rich cultural heritage and history associated with this distinguished name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kaza
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaza, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 62.3%. The next largest groups are White (31.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kaza 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 Kaza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander62.3% · 348
- White31.7% · 177
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 17
- Black or African American1.8% · 10
- Two or more races1.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kaza
Kaza 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
#49,999
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 419
+137 bearers (+48.6%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Up 15,669 places
2020
#41,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 559
+140 bearers (+33.4%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Up 8,108 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #65,668 | 282 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #49,999 | 419 | 0.14 | +137 bearers (+48.6%) | Up 15,669 places |
| 2020 | #41,891 | 559 | 0.19 | +140 bearers (+33.4%) | Up 8,108 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 Kaza 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 | #49,999 | #41,891 | 16.2% |
| Count | 419 | 559 | 33.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.19 | 33.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kaza bearers went from 419 to 559 (+33.4% change). The surname moved up 8,108 positions in the national ranking, going from #49,999 to #41,891.
FAQ
Kaza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kaza?
Name Census estimates that about 641 living Americans carry the surname Kaza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 534,718 residents.
How common is Kaza?
Kaza ranks #41,891 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.19 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 559 people with the surname Kaza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (641), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.19 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 Kaza.
Has Kaza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kaza went from 419 recorded bearers to 559. That is an increase of 140 (+33.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #49,999 to #41,891.
What does the Census say about the background of Kaza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaza, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 62.3%. The next largest groups are White (31.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kaza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 62.3% (348 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kaza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (62.3%), White (31.7%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Kaza (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 Kaza mean?
A surname derived from the Slavic word for a town or village. 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 Kaza (0.19 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 Kaza?
Find out how many people have the surname Kaza on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.