2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kiolbasa
A Polish surname likely derived from the Polish word "kiełbasa" meaning sausage.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Kiolbasa. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kiolbasa 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Kiolbasa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiolbasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kiolbasa
The surname KIOLBASA has its roots in Poland, originating in the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "kielbasa," which refers to a type of smoked sausage that has long been a staple in Polish cuisine. The name likely originated as a reference to an occupation or a nickname for someone involved in the production or sale of kielbasa.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KIOLBASA can be found in the records of the city of Krakow from the late 1500s, where a merchant named Jan KIOLBASA is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by that time.
In the 17th century, the KIOLBASA name appears in various historical documents and records from different parts of Poland, indicating its spread across the country. One notable example is Maciej KIOLBASA, a farmer from the village of Brzeźnica, who was mentioned in a land registry from 1632.
As the name grew more common, it also evolved into different spellings and variations, such as KIELBASA, KIOLBASSA, and KOLBASA. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the influence of other languages in areas where Polish immigrants settled.
One of the earliest instances of the KIOLBASA name appearing outside of Poland can be found in the records of the German city of Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland) from the late 18th century. This reflects the migration patterns of Polish communities during that period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the KIOLBASA surname. One such person was Andrzej KIOLBASA (1845-1923), a Polish painter and artist known for his landscapes and portraits. Another was Wladyslaw KIOLBASA (1892-1976), a Polish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in Chicago and the surrounding area.
In the 20th century, the name KIOLBASA gained some prominence in the United States due to Polish immigration. One notable figure was Stanley KIOLBASA (1920-2002), a World War II veteran and businessman who established a successful sausage company in Chicago, capitalizing on his family's Polish heritage.
Other notable individuals with the KIOLBASA surname include Janina KIOLBASA (1902-1985), a Polish writer and poet known for her works exploring the experiences of women in rural Poland, and Zbigniew KIOLBASA (1928-2012), a Polish-American engineer and inventor who held numerous patents in the field of automotive technology.
While the name KIOLBASA may have humble origins, it has become a part of the rich cultural tapestry of both Poland and the Polish diaspora around the world, reflecting the enduring influence of traditional Polish cuisine and the resilience of immigrant communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kiolbasa
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiolbasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kiolbasa 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 Kiolbasa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 119
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kiolbasa
Kiolbasa 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,416 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+9 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,944 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,416 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 5,944 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 Kiolbasa 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 | #147,253 | #141,309 | 4.0% |
| Count | 112 | 121 | 8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kiolbasa bearers went from 112 to 121 (+8.0% change). The surname moved up 5,944 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #141,309.
FAQ
Kiolbasa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kiolbasa?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Kiolbasa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Kiolbasa?
Kiolbasa ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Kiolbasa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Kiolbasa.
Has Kiolbasa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kiolbasa went from 112 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 9 (+8.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Kiolbasa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiolbasa, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Kiolbasa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (119 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kiolbasa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (0.8%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Kiolbasa (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 Kiolbasa mean?
A Polish surname likely derived from the Polish word "kiełbasa" meaning sausage. 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 Kiolbasa (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 Kiolbasa?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.