2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kisslinger
A habitational name for someone from Kesslingen, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living by a place with an unusual shape.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Kisslinger. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kisslinger 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Kisslinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kisslinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kisslinger
The surname Kisslinger is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany in the late 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Küssling," which refers to a small kiss or a person who kisses frequently. This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname to someone who was known for their affectionate or endearing nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kisslinger can be found in the parish records of the town of Augsburg, Bavaria, dating back to the year 1593. The entry mentions a certain Johann Kisslinger, who was a merchant and landowner in the area. Another early reference is found in the Nuremberg city archives from 1617, which includes a record of a Hans Kisslinger, a master baker.
In the 18th century, the name Kisslinger appeared in various documents throughout southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Württemberg. One notable figure from this period was Johann Georg Kisslinger (1701-1779), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
As the Kisslinger family spread across Europe, the name underwent some variations in spelling, such as Kiesslinger, Kisslinger, and Kissling. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.
In the 19th century, several members of the Kisslinger family made their mark in various fields. One such individual was Friedrich Kisslinger (1818-1892), a German philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Tübingen. Another was Carl Kisslinger (1842-1911), a successful businessman and industrialist who founded the Kisslinger Brewery in Munich.
During the 20th century, the name Kisslinger continued to be associated with notable figures, including Hans Kisslinger (1903-1985), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, and Gertrud Kisslinger (1918-2006), a celebrated German opera singer who performed at the Bavarian State Opera.
While the surname Kisslinger is not among the most common surnames globally, it remains an integral part of the rich cultural heritage of Bavaria and southern Germany, reflecting a unique blend of history, language, and regional traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kisslinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Kisslinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Kisslinger 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 Kisslinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kisslinger
Kisslinger 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
#120,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
+21 bearers (+17.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 7,761 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-27 bearers (-18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,083 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #120,187 | 144 | 0.05 | +21 bearers (+17.1%) | Up 7,761 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -27 bearers (-18.8%) | Down 24,083 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 Kisslinger 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 | #120,187 | #144,270 | -20.0% |
| Count | 144 | 117 | -18.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kisslinger bearers went from 144 to 117 (-18.8% change). The surname moved down 24,083 positions in the national ranking, going from #120,187 to #144,270.
FAQ
Kisslinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kisslinger?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Kisslinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Kisslinger?
Kisslinger ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Kisslinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Kisslinger.
Has Kisslinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kisslinger went from 144 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 27 (-18.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #120,187 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Kisslinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kisslinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Kisslinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kisslinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Kisslinger (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 Kisslinger mean?
A habitational name for someone from Kesslingen, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living by a place with an unusual shape. 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 Kisslinger (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 Kisslinger?
Want to know how many people have the surname Kisslinger? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.