2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kenitz
A German surname denoting a person from the town of Kenitz.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Kenitz. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kenitz 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Kenitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kenitz
The surname KENITZ originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "kiene," which translates to "pine tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived in or near pine forests or pine-related occupations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KENITZ surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Nuremberg in the late 1500s. These records document several individuals with the surname, indicating that it was already established in the region during that time period.
In the 17th century, the KENITZ name appeared in various church registers and tax records across several German states, such as Bavaria and Saxony. This suggests that the family had spread across different regions, possibly due to migration or trade activities.
One notable figure associated with the KENITZ surname was Johannes Kenitz, a German theologian and writer who lived from 1518 to 1594. He was known for his contributions to the field of Protestant theology and his published works on religious subjects.
Another individual of note was Hans Kenitz, a German blacksmith who lived in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was a respected craftsman and played a role in the local community.
In the 18th century, the KENITZ name can be found in various military records, particularly those of the Prussian army. This suggests that individuals with this surname served in the armed forces during this period, potentially contributing to the spread of the name across different regions.
One such individual was Friedrich Kenitz, a Prussian officer who served during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). He was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield and was mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.
Another notable figure was Anna Kenitz, a German midwife who lived in the town of Freiburg in the late 18th century. She gained recognition for her skilled and compassionate care, and her name was frequently mentioned in local records and personal accounts.
As the centuries progressed, the KENITZ surname continued to spread across different parts of Germany and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields, from academia to the arts, and leaving their mark on the cultural and historical fabric of their respective regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kenitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kenitz 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 Kenitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 98
- Two or more races5.6% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kenitz
Kenitz 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
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,591 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,588 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,591 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,588 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 Kenitz 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 | #150,935 | -1.7% |
| Count | 111 | 108 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kenitz bearers went from 111 to 108 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,588 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #150,935.
FAQ
Kenitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kenitz?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Kenitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Kenitz?
Kenitz ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Kenitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Kenitz.
Has Kenitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kenitz went from 111 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Kenitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kenitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Kenitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kenitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Two or More Races (5.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Kenitz (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 Kenitz mean?
A German surname denoting a person from the town of Kenitz. 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 Kenitz (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 people are called Kenitz?
You can see how many people have the last name Kenitz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.