2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kiefat
An Americanized spelling of a German surname referring to a pine tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Kiefat. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kiefat 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Kiefat in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiefat, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kiefat
The surname Kiefat has its origins in the Middle Ages, tracing back to the Germanic regions of central Europe. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "kiefer," which referred to a type of pine tree, suggesting that the name may have been originally associated with a forester or someone living near a pine forest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kiefat can be found in the Annals of the Duchy of Saxony, a historical chronicle from the 13th century. This document mentions a nobleman named Konrad Kiefat, who played a significant role in the local politics of the region during that time period.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in several records from the city of Nuremberg, which was a prominent trade center in the Holy Roman Empire. One notable individual was Hans Kiefat, a respected merchant who established a successful trading business and contributed to the city's economic prosperity.
During the Renaissance era, the Kiefat name gained further prominence with the birth of Johann Kiefat (1525-1592), a renowned scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy. His writings were widely read and discussed among the intellectual circles of his time.
Another significant figure bearing the Kiefat surname was Margarethe Kiefat (1678-1742), a celebrated artist known for her intricate woodcarvings and sculptures. Her works adorned various churches and public buildings throughout Germany, earning her recognition as one of the most skilled artisans of her era.
In the 19th century, the Kiefat name crossed borders and appeared in various parts of Europe. One notable example was Wilhelm Kiefat (1832-1901), a German-born engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of several major railway lines in France and Belgium, contributing significantly to the development of transportation infrastructure in those regions.
As the centuries passed, the Kiefat surname continued to spread across different parts of the world, carried by individuals who left their homelands in search of new opportunities. While the exact origin and meaning of the name may have evolved over time, it remains a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage and ancestry that has shaped the diverse communities we see today.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kiefat
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiefat, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kiefat 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 Kiefat surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.8% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino11.8% · 13
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kiefat
Kiefat 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 13,701 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+9 bearers (+8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,266 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 13,701 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.9%) | Up 10,266 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 Kiefat 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 | #159,712 | #149,446 | 6.4% |
| Count | 101 | 110 | 8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kiefat bearers went from 101 to 110 (+8.9% change). The surname moved up 10,266 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #149,446.
FAQ
Kiefat surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kiefat?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Kiefat. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Kiefat?
Kiefat ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Kiefat. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Kiefat.
Has Kiefat become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kiefat went from 101 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 9 (+8.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Kiefat?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiefat, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Kiefat in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.8% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kiefat appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.8%), Hispanic (11.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Kiefat (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 Kiefat mean?
An Americanized spelling of a German surname referring to a pine tree. 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 Kiefat (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 share the surname Kiefat?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.