2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Klara
A surname derived from the Latin name Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Klara. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klara 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Klara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klara
The surname Klara is believed to have originated in Germany, possibly as early as the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Latin name "Clara," meaning "bright" or "clear." The name may have been given to individuals with a bright or radiant appearance or personality.
In its earliest forms, the name was likely spelled as "Clarus" or "Clarus" in Latin documents. Over time, as the name spread throughout German-speaking regions, it evolved into various spellings such as "Klara," "Klare," and "Klahr."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Klara can be found in a 13th-century manuscript from the city of Nuremberg, which mentions a "Johannes Klara" as a landowner in the region. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of Germany by that time.
The name Klara is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Clara of Assisi (1193-1253), a Italian nun and follower of St. Francis of Assisi, who was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Clara Schumann (1819-1896), a German pianist and composer who made significant contributions to the Romantic era of classical music. Her compositions and performances were highly regarded during her lifetime and continue to be celebrated today.
In the realm of literature, Clara Reeve (1729-1807) was an English novelist and playwright known for her Gothic novels, including "The Old English Baron," which is considered one of the earliest examples of the Gothic fiction genre.
The name Klara has also been associated with several places and landmarks throughout Europe. For instance, the town of Klaraberg in Sweden is believed to have derived its name from the German surname Klara.
Additionally, the Klarakirke (Clara Church) in Copenhagen, Denmark, was named after a 13th-century Franciscan nun named Clara, further highlighting the historical significance of the name in various parts of Europe.
Overall, the surname Klara has a rich history that spans several centuries and countries, with its roots firmly planted in Germanic and Latin origins. Its association with notable figures and places throughout history further solidifies its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klara
Among Census respondents with the surname Klara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Klara 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 Klara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klara
Klara 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
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,136 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,244 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 17,136 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,244 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 Klara 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 | #151,639 | -1.5% |
| Count | 110 | 107 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klara bearers went from 110 to 107 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,244 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #151,639.
FAQ
Klara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klara?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Klara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Klara?
Klara ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Klara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Klara.
Has Klara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klara went from 110 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Klara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Black (1.9%). 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 Klara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (2.8%), Black (1.9%). 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 Klara (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 Klara mean?
A surname derived from the Latin name Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear." 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 Klara (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 have the last name Klara?
If you just want to know how many people are called Klara, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.