Find out how popular the last name Kinikini is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kinikini.

Kinikini, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kinikini surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kinikini in America

Kinikini is the 88020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kinikini surname appeared 211 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kinikini.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kinikini to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kinikini

The surname KINIKINI has its origins in the Hawaiian Islands, tracing back to the late 18th century. It is believed to be derived from the Hawaiian words "kini," meaning to twist or bend, and "kini," meaning to gird or surround, suggesting that the name may have been associated with a particular occupation or skill in the island communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KINIKINI surname can be found in the journals of Captain James Cook, the British explorer who visited the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. Cook's crew members documented interactions with locals, some of whom were referred to by the name KINIKINI or similar variations.

In the early 19th century, the KINIKINI name appeared in Hawaiian land records and genealogical accounts, indicating that the family had established roots on the islands. Notable individuals from this era include Keoni KINIKINI, a respected fisherman born in 1802, and Kahili KINIKINI, a renowned storyteller and oral historian who lived from 1815 to 1892.

As the Hawaiian Kingdom underwent political changes in the late 19th century, the KINIKINI surname gained recognition through prominent figures like Kalani KINIKINI, a diplomat and advisor to King Kalākaua, who was born in 1845 and served the monarchy until his death in 1912. Additionally, Kekoa KINIKINI, born in 1871, was a celebrated artist and woodcarver whose works are preserved in museums across the islands.

During the early 20th century, the KINIKINI name continued to be associated with the arts and cultural heritage of Hawaii. Notable individuals from this period include Leilani KINIKINI, a renowned hula dancer and teacher born in 1915, and Kahili KINIKINI II, a sculptor and cultural practitioner who carried on the legacy of his namesake grandfather, born in 1928 and active until his passing in 2005.

Throughout its history, the KINIKINI surname has remained deeply rooted in the Hawaiian Islands, with families continuing to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the islands' rich cultural traditions and practices.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kinikini

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kinikini.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kinikini was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kinikini has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kinikini was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kinikini, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!