2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kmec
A surname derived from a Slavic word meaning "peasant" or "farmer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Kmec. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kmec 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Kmec in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kmec, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kmec
The surname KMEC has its origins in the Slavic regions of Central and Eastern Europe, tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Slavic word "kmec," which means "peasant" or "farmer." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who worked as agricultural laborers or small landholders.
The earliest known records of the surname KMEC can be found in historical documents from the 13th century, particularly in regions that are now part of modern-day Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. These early mentions often appear in local parish registers, land deeds, and court records, indicating the surname's widespread use among the rural population of the time.
In the 15th century, the name KMEC appeared in the Hussitské válečné tahy (Hussite War Records), a compilation of documents related to the Hussite Wars in Bohemia, which lasted from 1419 to 1434. This reference suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been involved in the religious and political conflicts of that period.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname KMEC was Jan Kmec, a prominent landowner and farmer from the village of Stará Bělá in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). Historical records indicate that he lived in the late 15th century and played a significant role in the local community.
In the 16th century, the name KMEC was also found in the Urbář žatecký (Žatec Land Register), a significant historical document that recorded landholdings and property ownership in the Žatec region of Bohemia. This further reinforces the surname's association with agricultural pursuits and rural settlements.
Another notable figure with the surname KMEC was Matej Kmec, a Slovak philosopher and educator who lived in the 18th century (1718-1784). He was a prominent figure in the Slovak Enlightenment movement and contributed to the development of Slovak culture and language.
During the 19th century, the surname KMEC continued to be prevalent in various regions of Central and Eastern Europe. One individual of note was Jozef Kmec (1837-1911), a Slovak politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the Slovak national movement and advocated for the rights of the Slovak people.
Throughout history, the surname KMEC has been found in various areas of Central and Eastern Europe, including modern-day Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and other neighboring countries. While the name has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Kmiec, Kmetz, or Kmets, its core meaning and connection to the agricultural roots of the region remain intact.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kmec
Among Census respondents with the surname Kmec, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kmec 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 Kmec surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 99
- Black or African American4.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kmec
Kmec 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-13 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,930 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,705 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 22,930 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 3,705 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 Kmec 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 | #156,044 | #152,339 | 2.4% |
| Count | 104 | 106 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kmec bearers went from 104 to 106 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 3,705 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,339.
FAQ
Kmec surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kmec?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Kmec. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Kmec?
Kmec ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Kmec. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Kmec.
Has Kmec become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kmec went from 104 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Kmec?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kmec, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (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 Kmec in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kmec appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Black (4.7%), Hispanic (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 Kmec (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 Kmec mean?
A surname derived from a Slavic word meaning "peasant" or "farmer". 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 Kmec (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 Kmec?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.