2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kiwala
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly from a place name or corruption of another name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Kiwala. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kiwala 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Kiwala in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kiwala
The surname KIWALA has its origins in the Luhya community of Western Kenya. It is a name that can be traced back to the late 18th century, with roots in the Isukha sub-tribe. The name is derived from the Luhya word "khiwala," which means "to keep watch" or "to guard."
In the early 19th century, the name KIWALA appeared in records of the Wanga Kingdom, a powerful chiefdom that ruled over parts of what is now Kakamega County. It is believed that some members of the KIWALA clan held positions as royal guards or watchmen, which may have contributed to the name's origins.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KIWALA can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived among the Luhya people in the 1840s. Krapf's journals mention a man named Wanjala KIWALA, who served as a guide and interpreter during his travels.
In the late 19th century, the name KIWALA gained prominence with the birth of Musa KIWALA (1875-1952), a renowned Luhya chieftain and leader. Musa KIWALA played a significant role in negotiating land agreements with the British colonial authorities and advocating for the rights of his people.
Another notable figure with the KIWALA surname was Reuben KIWALA (1920-1988), a prominent educator and writer. Reuben KIWALA authored several books on Luhya culture and language, contributing to the preservation of his community's heritage.
During the 20th century, the name KIWALA spread beyond Western Kenya as members of the community migrated to other parts of the country and abroad. One such individual was John KIWALA (1945-2010), a respected businessman and community leader who settled in Nairobi.
In the realm of sports, the name KIWALA gained recognition through the achievements of Beatrice KIWALA (born 1975), a Kenyan long-distance runner who won multiple international marathons and represented her country at the Olympic Games.
While the name KIWALA has its roots in the Luhya community of Western Kenya, it has become more widely dispersed in modern times, with individuals bearing this surname found in various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kiwala
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kiwala 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 Kiwala surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.4% · 93
- Black or African American5.8% · 6
- Two or more races3.8% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kiwala
Kiwala 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,638 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,195 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,638 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 4,195 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 Kiwala 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 | #149,395 | #153,590 | -2.8% |
| Count | 110 | 104 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kiwala bearers went from 110 to 104 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 4,195 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #153,590.
FAQ
Kiwala surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kiwala?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Kiwala. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Kiwala?
Kiwala ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Kiwala. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kiwala.
Has Kiwala become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kiwala went from 110 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Kiwala?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiwala, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Kiwala in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.4% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kiwala appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.4%), Black (5.8%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Kiwala (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 Kiwala mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly from a place name or corruption of another name. 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 Kiwala (0.03 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 Kiwala?
You can see how many people have the surname Kiwala on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.