2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Koudela
A Czech/Slovak topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a thicket or shrubland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Koudela. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Koudela 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Koudela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Koudela, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Koudela
The surname Koudela is of Czech origin, with records indicating it emerged in the early 16th century in the regions around Prague and other areas of Bohemia. It is believed to be derived from the Czech word "koudel," which means "tow" or "coarse flax fiber." This suggests the name may have been given to individuals involved in the production or trade of linen and textile goods during that era.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Koudela surname was Jan Koudela, a weaver and merchant who lived in the town of Český Brod, near Prague, in the late 1500s. His name appears in tax records and guild documents from that time period, providing evidence of the name's existence and potential connection to the textile industry.
In the 17th century, the name Koudela can be found in various parish records and legal documents across Bohemia and Moravia, indicating its gradual spread across the Czech lands. One notable figure from this time was Jakub Koudela, a prominent landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Hosín, near the town of Pardubice, in the mid-1600s.
As the centuries progressed, the Koudela surname continued to be prevalent in Czech communities, with several notable individuals bearing the name. In the late 18th century, František Koudela (1751-1819) was a respected scholar and educator who taught at the University of Prague and wrote several treatises on philosophy and theology.
During the 19th century, the name gained wider recognition with the birth of the painter Václav Koudela (1844-1913), whose works depicting Czech landscapes and rural life are highly regarded in the country's art history. Another significant figure was the writer and journalist Karel Koudela (1861-1929), who was known for his novels and articles chronicling the struggles of the Czech working class.
In more recent times, the Koudela surname has been carried by individuals such as Jaroslav Koudela (1923-2004), a renowned architect whose designs left a lasting impact on the urban landscape of Prague and other Czech cities. Additionally, Jiří Koudela (1921-1995) was a celebrated actor and director who worked extensively in both theater and film during the latter half of the 20th century.
While the surname Koudela remains most prevalent in the Czech Republic and among people of Czech descent, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance can be traced back to the rich textile and cultural heritage of Bohemia and the Czech lands.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Koudela
Among Census respondents with the surname Koudela, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Koudela 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 Koudela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Koudela
Koudela 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+8 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,373 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,001 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 1,373 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,001 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 Koudela 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 | #145,220 | #147,221 | -1.4% |
| Count | 114 | 113 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Koudela bearers went from 114 to 113 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,001 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,221.
FAQ
Koudela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Koudela?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Koudela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Koudela?
Koudela ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Koudela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Koudela.
Has Koudela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Koudela went from 114 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Koudela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Koudela, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Koudela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Koudela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (1.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Koudela (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 Koudela mean?
A Czech/Slovak topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a thicket or shrubland. 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 Koudela (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 Koudela?
See how common the surname Koudela is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.