2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kinan
An Arabic surname meaning "determined, adamant, or persistent."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Kinan. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kinan 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Kinan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kinan
The surname Kinan is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Gaelic language. The name is derived from the Irish word "cionnath," which means "ancient" or "venerable." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone who was revered for their wisdom or age.
In early Irish records and manuscripts, the name Kinan appears in various spellings, such as Kynane, Kynane, and Kinnane. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century, which mentions a Kinan who lived in the 12th century.
During the medieval period, the Kinan surname was prominent in County Galway, particularly in the baronies of Longford and Loughrea. The name is also associated with several place names in the region, such as Kinvara, which may have been derived from "Kin-an-bhair," meaning "the head of the bard" or "the headland of the bard."
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Kinan surname was Dermot Kinan, a notable Irish chieftain who lived in the late 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the O'Kelly clan and played a significant role in the conflicts between the Irish clans and the Anglo-Norman settlers.
Another notable figure with the Kinan surname was Tadhg Og Kinan, a 16th-century Irish poet and historian. He was renowned for his works chronicling the history and traditions of the O'Kelly clan and was considered one of the most accomplished poets of his time.
In the 17th century, Edmond Kinan was a celebrated Irish Jacobite and soldier who fought in the Williamite War in Ireland. He was renowned for his bravery and loyalty to the Jacobite cause and was killed in battle in 1691.
Moving into the 18th century, William Kinan was a prominent Irish lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Galway in the Irish House of Commons. He was known for his advocacy of Catholic rights and his efforts to promote Irish interests in the British Parliament.
In the 19th century, John Kinan was a notable Irish writer and journalist who contributed to various publications, including the Dublin University Magazine. He was known for his insightful commentary on Irish culture and politics and played a significant role in shaping public discourse during his time.
Throughout its history, the Kinan surname has maintained a strong presence in Ireland, particularly in the western counties. While the name may have evolved and spread to other parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic language and the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kinan
Among Census respondents with the surname Kinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kinan 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 Kinan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kinan
Kinan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-4 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,805 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 4,805 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 Kinan 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 | #143,149 | #147,954 | -3.4% |
| Count | 116 | 112 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kinan bearers went from 116 to 112 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 4,805 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #147,954.
FAQ
Kinan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kinan?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Kinan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Kinan?
Kinan ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Kinan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Kinan.
Has Kinan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kinan went from 116 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Kinan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kinan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Black (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 Kinan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kinan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%), Black (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 Kinan (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 Kinan mean?
An Arabic surname meaning "determined, adamant, or persistent." 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 Kinan (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 Kinan?
Want to know how common the surname Kinan is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.