2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kocour
A Czech surname derived from the word "kocour" meaning tomcat or male cat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Kocour. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kocour 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Kocour in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kocour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kocour
The surname KOCOUR is of Czech origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period in the region of Bohemia, now part of the modern-day Czech Republic. The name is derived from the Czech word "kocour," which translates to "tomcat" or "male cat."
In the early days, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or attributes associated with an individual. The surname KOCOUR likely originated as a nickname for someone who possessed cat-like qualities, such as agility, stealth, or perhaps a fondness for felines. Alternatively, it could have been bestowed upon a person who worked with or cared for cats.
Historical records indicate that the KOCOUR surname appeared in various forms throughout the centuries. Early variations included Kocaur, Koczaur, and Kocžour, reflecting the evolving spelling and pronunciation over time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus et Epistolaris Regni Bohemiae, a collection of medieval Czech documents from the 13th century.
Prominent individuals bearing the KOCOUR surname have left their mark throughout history. Jan Kocour (1772-1843), a Czech writer and playwright, is noted for his contributions to the development of Czech literature during the National Revival period. Another notable figure is Václav Kocour (1899-1965), a Czech actor and director who gained recognition for his roles in numerous theater productions and films.
In the realm of sports, Jaroslav Kocour (1939-2003) was a distinguished Czech ice hockey player and coach. He represented Czechoslovakia in several international tournaments, including the Winter Olympics and World Championships, and later served as the head coach of the national team.
Moving to the realm of academia, Jan Kocour (1923-2003) was a respected Czech philosopher and logician. His works focused on the foundations of mathematics and the philosophy of science, and he made significant contributions to the field of logical empiricism.
Furthermore, the KOCOUR surname has been associated with various locations within the Czech Republic. The village of Kocourov, located in the Plzeň Region, derives its name from the surname, suggesting a historical connection between the place and the family.
While the KOCOUR surname is primarily concentrated in the Czech Republic, it has also found its way into other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Czech lands, where it has been a part of the cultural tapestry for centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kocour
Among Census respondents with the surname Kocour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kocour 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 Kocour surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kocour
Kocour 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
+16 bearers (+13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,990 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-11 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+13.8%) | Up 4,990 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 12,262 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 Kocour 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 | #129,047 | #141,309 | -9.5% |
| Count | 132 | 121 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kocour bearers went from 132 to 121 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 12,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #141,309.
FAQ
Kocour surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kocour?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Kocour. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Kocour?
Kocour ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Kocour. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Kocour.
Has Kocour become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kocour went from 132 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Kocour?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kocour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Kocour in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kocour appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Kocour (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 Kocour mean?
A Czech surname derived from the word "kocour" meaning tomcat or male cat. 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 Kocour (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 Kocour?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Kocour at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.