2000
#12,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,261
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.84
Rare Last name
Kearse
Derived from a nickname for a fierce or formidable person, possibly of Cornish origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,718 Americans carry the last name Kearse. That puts it at #12,492 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,105 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kearse 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
2.7K
1 in 126,105
Census rank
#12,492
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,370 bearers of the surname Kearse in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12492nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 71.0%. The next largest groups are White (19.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kearse
The surname Kearse is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "ciarraidhe," which means "dark-haired" or "black-haired." This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive name for someone with dark hair.
The name was prominent in County Kerry, located in the southwestern part of Ireland. Historically, the Kearse family was part of the Gaelic nobility and played a significant role in the region's affairs during the medieval period. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle compiled by Irish monks in the 12th century.
In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Kearse family supported the Irish resistance against English rule. This led to the confiscation of their lands and the subsequent dispersal of family members across Ireland and beyond. Some Kearse families sought refuge in other parts of Europe, contributing to the name's spread.
One notable figure from the Kearse family was Tadhg Kearse, a 17th-century Irish poet and historian. Born around 1630, Tadhg Kearse is renowned for his works that documented the history and culture of County Kerry. His writings provide valuable insights into the life and traditions of the region during that era.
Another prominent individual with the Kearse surname was John Kearse, a Scottish-born American naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1753, John Kearse played a crucial role in several naval battles against the British and was recognized for his bravery and leadership.
In the 19th century, the Kearse name gained prominence in the United States, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such person was James Kearse, a Civil War veteran who fought for the Union Army. Born in 1841, James Kearse participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg.
Another notable figure was William Kearse, a successful businessman and philanthropist born in 1865 in New York City. He made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and played a pivotal role in the development of his local community.
Over the centuries, the Kearse surname has evolved to include various spelling variations, such as Kearns, Kearney, and Carney, reflecting the influence of different regions and languages. Despite these variations, the name's roots can be traced back to its Irish origins and the distinct meaning of "dark-haired."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kearse
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 71.0%. The next largest groups are White (19.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kearse 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 Kearse surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American71.0% · 1,683
- White19.7% · 466
- Two or more races4.7% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 95
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kearse
Kearse 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
#12,072
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,583
+322 bearers (+14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Up 494 places
2020
#12,492
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,370
-213 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 420 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,566 | 2,261 | 0.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,072 | 2,583 | 0.88 | +322 bearers (+14.2%) | Up 494 places |
| 2020 | #12,492 | 2,370 | 0.79 | -213 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 420 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 Kearse 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 | #12,072 | #12,492 | -3.5% |
| Count | 2,583 | 2,370 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 0.79 | -9.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kearse bearers went from 2,583 to 2,370 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 420 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,072 to #12,492.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kearse
FAQ
Kearse surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kearse?
Name Census estimates that about 2,718 living Americans carry the surname Kearse. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,105 residents.
How common is Kearse?
Kearse ranks #12,492 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 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 2,370 people with the surname Kearse. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,718), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 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 Kearse.
Has Kearse become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kearse went from 2,583 recorded bearers to 2,370. That is a decrease of 213 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,072 to #12,492.
What does the Census say about the background of Kearse?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kearse, the largest self-reported group is Black at 71.0%. The next largest groups are White (19.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kearse in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.0% (1,683 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kearse appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (71.0%), White (19.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Kearse (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 Kearse mean?
Derived from a nickname for a fierce or formidable person, possibly of Cornish origin. 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 Kearse (0.79 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 are called Kearse?
Want to know how many people have the surname Kearse? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.