2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kenis
A surname derived from a personal name of Irish origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Kenis. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kenis 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Kenis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenis, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kenis
The surname KENIS has its origins in the Middle Ages, originating from the Dutch and German regions of Europe. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "kennis," which means "knowledge" or "acquaintance." The name may have been given to someone who was considered knowledgeable or well-connected within their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KENIS can be found in the historical records of the city of Arnhem, in the Netherlands, dating back to the 14th century. These records mention a man named Jan KENIS, who was a merchant and respected citizen of the city.
In the 15th century, the KENIS name appeared in the records of the city of Cologne, in Germany. Here, a family bearing the name KENIS was known for their expertise in metalworking and were highly regarded for their craftsmanship.
During the 16th century, the name KENIS began to spread across Europe, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in various regions, including France, Belgium, and parts of Eastern Europe.
One notable individual with the KENIS surname was Willem KENIS, a Dutch painter and engraver who lived in the 17th century (1592-1647). His works were highly regarded during his time and can still be found in various art collections across Europe.
In the 18th century, a man named Pieter KENIS (1720-1789) made a significant contribution to the field of architecture. He was a renowned architect from the Netherlands who designed several notable buildings, including the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.
Another prominent figure with the KENIS surname was Jan KENIS (1815-1892), a Belgian poet and writer who gained recognition for his works celebrating the Flemish language and culture.
The 19th century also saw the rise of a French military officer named Jacques KENIS (1832-1905), who served with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War and was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for his bravery.
As the KENIS name spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as KENNIS, KENIUS, and KENNYS, reflecting local dialects and language influences.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kenis
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenis, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kenis 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 Kenis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino9.2% · 10
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kenis
Kenis 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-6 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,233 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,858 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 15,233 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,858 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 Kenis 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 | #148,347 | #150,205 | -1.3% |
| Count | 111 | 109 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kenis bearers went from 111 to 109 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,858 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #150,205.
FAQ
Kenis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kenis?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Kenis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Kenis?
Kenis ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Kenis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Kenis.
Has Kenis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kenis went from 111 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Kenis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenis, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (2.8%). 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 Kenis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kenis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (9.2%), Black (2.8%). 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 Kenis (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 Kenis mean?
A surname derived from a personal name of Irish 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 Kenis (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 Kenis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.