2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kenas
A surname from Lithuania meaning "suffering" or "patience".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Kenas. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kenas 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Kenas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kenas
The surname KENAS is believed to have originated in Lithuania, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Lithuanian word "kenėti," which means "to endure" or "to suffer." It is thought that the name was initially given to individuals who had endured hardships or displayed exceptional resilience in the face of adversity.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname KENAS can be found in the Metrica of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a collection of historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. The records indicate that several families bearing the name KENAS resided in the Vilnius region during this period.
In the 18th century, the name KENAS appeared in various historical documents related to the Lithuanian nobility. One notable figure was Jonas KENAS (1725-1801), a prominent landowner and military officer who served in the army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
During the 19th century, the KENAS surname spread beyond Lithuania and can be found in records from neighboring regions, such as Belarus and Poland. One of the most notable individuals with this surname was Kazimierz KENAS (1858-1918), a Lithuanian-born poet and playwright who wrote extensively in the Polish language.
As the 20th century dawned, the KENAS surname continued to be carried by individuals who made significant contributions in various fields. Antanas KENAS (1902-1978) was a renowned Lithuanian painter and art educator, known for his landscape paintings and portraiture.
Another notable figure was Juozas KENAS (1920-2005), a Lithuanian-American architect and urban planner who played a crucial role in the development of several cities in the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles.
In more recent times, the KENAS surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions. Vytautas KENAS (1944-2022) was a Lithuanian-American engineer and inventor who held numerous patents in the field of automotive technology.
While the surname KENAS has its origins in Lithuania, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals whose ancestors emigrated from the region. The name continues to carry a rich history and a connection to the enduring spirit of those who bore it throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kenas
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kenas 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 Kenas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.7% · 104
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kenas
Kenas 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-6 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,644 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+9 bearers (+8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,767 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 16,644 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.8%) | Up 9,767 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 Kenas 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 | #158,432 | #148,665 | 6.2% |
| Count | 102 | 111 | 8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kenas bearers went from 102 to 111 (+8.8% change). The surname moved up 9,767 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #148,665.
FAQ
Kenas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kenas?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Kenas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Kenas?
Kenas ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Kenas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Kenas.
Has Kenas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kenas went from 102 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 9 (+8.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Kenas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenas, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Kenas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.7% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kenas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.7%), Black (1.8%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Kenas (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 Kenas mean?
A surname from Lithuania meaning "suffering" or "patience". 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 Kenas (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 many Americans have the surname Kenas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.