2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Klauka
A toponymic surname derived from the Polish town of Kluki or Klukow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Klauka. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Klauka 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Klauka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Klauka, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Klauka
The surname Klauka is of Polish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. Originally, it was primarily found in the regions of Poznań and Wielkopolska, where it was likely derived from the Old Polish word "klauka," meaning "a staff or cane."
In its early days, the name Klauka was often associated with individuals involved in crafting walking sticks or canes, suggesting a possible occupational connection. However, over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname passed down through generations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Klauka surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Mogilno, dating back to the late 16th century. These records document the presence of families bearing this name in the area, indicating their long-standing ties to the region.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Klauka surname gained wider recognition, appearing in various historical documents and records across Poland. Notably, a certain Jan Klauka, born in 1682, was mentioned in the town chronicles of Gniezno for his contributions as a skilled woodcarver, lending further credence to the name's potential occupational origins.
Another notable bearer of the Klauka surname was Marcin Klauka (1734-1802), a respected landowner and local magistrate in the village of Chodzież. His name is etched in the annals of the region for his fair and impartial administration of justice.
In the 19th century, the Klauka name found its way into the ranks of the Polish nobility. One such example is Stanisław Klauka (1823-1891), a prominent landowner and philanthropist who was recognized for his charitable efforts and contributions to the local community.
Another individual of note was Jadwiga Klauka (1867-1945), a pioneering educator who dedicated her life to establishing schools and promoting education in rural areas of Poland. Her commitment to the betterment of society earned her widespread respect and admiration.
As the centuries progressed, the Klauka surname spread beyond its original heartland in Wielkopolska, with families bearing this name found in various parts of Poland, as well as among Polish communities in neighboring countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Klauka
Among Census respondents with the surname Klauka, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Klauka 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 Klauka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 105
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Klauka
Klauka 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+5 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,413 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,753 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 4,413 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 1,753 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 Klauka 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 | #146,201 | #147,954 | -1.2% |
| Count | 113 | 112 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Klauka bearers went from 113 to 112 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 1,753 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #147,954.
FAQ
Klauka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Klauka?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Klauka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Klauka?
Klauka ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Klauka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Klauka.
Has Klauka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Klauka went from 113 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Klauka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Klauka, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Klauka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Klauka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Klauka (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 Klauka mean?
A toponymic surname derived from the Polish town of Kluki or Klukow. 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 Klauka (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 Klauka?
Find out how many people are called Klauka on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.