2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kodl
A surname possibly originating as a variant of the Czech surname Koudela, meaning 'shaggy person'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Kodl. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kodl 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Kodl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kodl, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kodl
The surname KODL is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic during the late 16th century. It is derived from the Czech word "kodl," which means "a small stick" or "a spindle." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a trade or occupation related to woodworking or textile production.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname KODL can be traced back to the village of Kolin, located in the central Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. Historical records from the 1580s mention several families bearing this surname in the area, indicating that it had already been established by that time.
One notable historical reference to the name KODL can be found in the Berní Rula, a tax register compiled in 1654 during the reign of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. This document lists several individuals with the surname KODL residing in various villages across Bohemia.
Among the earliest known individuals with the surname KODL is Jan Kodl, a woodcarver born in 1612 in the town of Kutná Hora. His intricate wooden sculptures adorned several churches in the region and were highly regarded during his lifetime.
Another prominent figure was Václav Kodl (1650-1721), a respected master weaver from the village of Úvaly. He is credited with introducing several innovative techniques in textile production that were widely adopted throughout Bohemia.
In the 18th century, the name KODL can be found in records from the town of Pardubice, where a family of millers and bakers bearing this surname operated a successful business. One notable member was Jakub Kodl (1734-1802), whose bakery was renowned for its exceptional quality bread and pastries.
During the 19th century, the KODL surname began to spread beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. Josef Kodl (1812-1889), a skilled carpenter from Prague, emigrated to the United States in 1848, settling in the city of Chicago. He became one of the first Czech immigrants to establish a successful woodworking business in the Midwest.
Another notable figure was Anna Kodl (1876-1952), a renowned Czech opera singer who performed in various prestigious venues across Europe. Her powerful soprano voice and captivating stage presence earned her widespread acclaim and recognition in the classical music world.
While the surname KODL is not among the most common in the Czech Republic today, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the country's cultural and occupational traditions, reflecting the skills and craftsmanship of its bearers over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kodl
Among Census respondents with the surname Kodl, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Kodl 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 Kodl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 120
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kodl
Kodl 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+12 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,430 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,722 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 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 2,430 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 4,722 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 Kodl 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 | #137,327 | #142,049 | -3.4% |
| Count | 122 | 120 | -1.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kodl bearers went from 122 to 120 (-1.6% change). The surname moved down 4,722 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #142,049.
FAQ
Kodl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kodl?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Kodl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Kodl?
Kodl ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Kodl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Kodl.
Has Kodl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kodl went from 122 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Kodl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kodl, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Kodl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (120 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kodl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Kodl (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 Kodl mean?
A surname possibly originating as a variant of the Czech surname Koudela, meaning 'shaggy person'. 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 Kodl (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 Kodl?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.