2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kekona
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the loincloth" or "the apron."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Kekona. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kekona 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Kekona in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kekona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (20.5%) and Hispanic (11.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kekona
The surname KEKONA is of Hawaiian origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Polynesian civilization that inhabited the Hawaiian Islands. This name likely emerged during the pre-colonial era, before the islands were first encountered by European explorers in the late 18th century.
KEKONA is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian words "keko," meaning "messenger," and "nā," a plural article. The combination of these words suggests that KEKONA may have initially referred to a group of messengers or emissaries, possibly within a specific Hawaiian community or tribe.
While there are no known historical records or manuscripts specifically mentioning the surname KEKONA from ancient times, its linguistic origins and structure are consistent with the naming traditions of the indigenous Hawaiian people. Many Hawaiian surnames were derived from words or phrases that described occupations, physical characteristics, or notable events.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KEKONA can be found in the genealogical records of the Hawaiian monarchy. Kekona Kahoopu, born in the late 18th century, was a high-ranking chief and advisor to King Kamehameha I, the first ruler of the unified Hawaiian Islands.
Another notable figure with the surname KEKONA was Kekona Kanahele, a Hawaiian scholar and historian who lived in the 19th century. Kanahele was instrumental in preserving and documenting the oral traditions, genealogies, and cultural practices of the Hawaiian people.
In the early 20th century, Kekona Akana, a Hawaiian activist and politician, played a significant role in advocating for the rights and self-determination of the native Hawaiian population. Akana served as a delegate to the Hawaiian Civic Clubs, a prominent organization dedicated to promoting Hawaiian culture and values.
Kekona Kamauoha, born in the late 19th century, was a renowned Hawaiian musician and composer. Kamauoha's compositions, often incorporating traditional Hawaiian melodies and rhythms, helped to preserve and popularize the islands' rich musical heritage.
Another notable figure with the KEKONA surname was Kekona Kawena, a revered Hawaiian kahuna (spiritual leader and healer) who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kawena was widely respected for his knowledge of traditional Hawaiian healing practices and his commitment to preserving the sacred traditions of his people.
While the surname KEKONA has its origins in the ancient Hawaiian language and culture, it has since spread beyond the islands, carried by Hawaiian diaspora and those with ancestral ties to the Hawaiian people. The name continues to hold significance as a symbol of the rich heritage and resilience of the indigenous Hawaiian community.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kekona
Among Census respondents with the surname Kekona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (20.5%) and Hispanic (11.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Kekona 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 Kekona surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander57.3% · 67
- Two or more races20.5% · 24
- Hispanic or Latino11.1% · 13
- Black or African American6.0% · 7
- White5.1% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kekona
Kekona 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+12 bearers (+10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,071 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-8 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,558 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.6%) | Up 2,071 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 9,558 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 Kekona 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 | #134,712 | #144,270 | -7.1% |
| Count | 125 | 117 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kekona bearers went from 125 to 117 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 9,558 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #144,270.
FAQ
Kekona surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kekona?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Kekona. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Kekona?
Kekona ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Kekona. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Kekona.
Has Kekona become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kekona went from 125 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Kekona?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kekona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (20.5%) and Hispanic (11.1%). 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 Kekona in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.3% (67 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kekona appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (57.3%), Two or More Races (20.5%), Hispanic (11.1%). 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 Kekona (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 Kekona mean?
A Hawaiian surname meaning "the loincloth" or "the apron." 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 Kekona (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 common is the surname Kekona?
You can see how many people have the last name Kekona on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.