2000
#29,069
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 768
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.28
Rare Last name
Kebede
An Ethiopian surname meaning "the guardian or protector" in Amharic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,167 Americans carry the last name Kebede. That puts it at #10,999 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 108,227 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kebede 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 Kebede with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.2K
1 in 108,227
Census rank
#10,999
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,762 bearers of the surname Kebede in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10999th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kebede, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kebede
The surname Kebede is of Ethiopian origin, with roots that can be traced back to the ancient Semitic languages of the region. It is believed to have originated in the northern part of the country, particularly in the regions of Tigray and Amhara.
Kebede is derived from the Amharic word "kebede," which means "wealth" or "abundance." This name was likely given to individuals who were associated with prosperity, either through their occupation, social status, or personal achievements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kebede can be found in the 14th-century Ge'ez manuscript, the "Kebra Nagast" (The Glory of Kings). This literary work chronicles the lineage of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia and mentions several individuals bearing the name Kebede.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Kebede Maryam played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of Ethiopia. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who authored several works on the Orthodox Christian faith.
During the 18th century, Kebede Tseyon, a prominent military leader, led the forces of the Ethiopian Emperor Iyasu II in battles against the invading Ottoman forces. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him a place in the annals of Ethiopian history.
In the 19th century, Kebede Tessema was a revered scholar and educator who contributed to the preservation and promotion of traditional Ethiopian literature and culture. He is credited with establishing one of the first modern schools in the country.
Another notable figure from this era was Kebede Mikael, a renowned artist and calligrapher whose intricate works adorned the walls of numerous churches and monasteries throughout Ethiopia.
As the centuries passed, the surname Kebede continued to be associated with individuals who made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, religion, arts, and academia. It remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage and history of Ethiopia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kebede
Among Census respondents with the surname Kebede, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Kebede 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 Kebede surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.5% · 2,666
- White1.5% · 42
- Two or more races1.3% · 37
- Hispanic or Latino0.3% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kebede
Kebede 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
#17,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,671
+903 bearers (+117.6%)
Per 100,000 0.57
Rank movement Up 12,064 places
2020
#10,999
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,762
+1,091 bearers (+65.3%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Up 6,006 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #29,069 | 768 | 0.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,005 | 1,671 | 0.57 | +903 bearers (+117.6%) | Up 12,064 places |
| 2020 | #10,999 | 2,762 | 0.92 | +1,091 bearers (+65.3%) | Up 6,006 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 Kebede 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 | #17,005 | #10,999 | 35.3% |
| Count | 1,671 | 2,762 | 65.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.57 | 0.92 | 62.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kebede bearers went from 1,671 to 2,762 (+65.3% change). The surname moved up 6,006 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,005 to #10,999.
FAQ
Kebede surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kebede?
Name Census estimates that about 3,167 living Americans carry the surname Kebede. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 108,227 residents.
How common is Kebede?
Kebede ranks #10,999 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.92 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 2,762 people with the surname Kebede. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,167), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.92 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 Kebede.
Has Kebede become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kebede went from 1,671 recorded bearers to 2,762. That is an increase of 1,091 (+65.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,005 to #10,999.
What does the Census say about the background of Kebede?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kebede, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Kebede in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (2,666 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kebede appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.5%), White (1.5%), Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Kebede (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 Kebede mean?
An Ethiopian surname meaning "the guardian or protector" in Amharic. 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 Kebede (0.92 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 share the surname Kebede?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.