2000
#8,500
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,571
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.32
Rare Last name
Krall
A surname of Czech origin, derived from the word "král," meaning "king."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,882 Americans carry the last name Krall. That puts it at #9,239 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 88,293 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Krall 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
3.9K
1 in 88,293
Census rank
#9,239
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,385 bearers of the surname Krall in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9239th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Krall, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Krall
The surname Krall is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is derived from the Middle High German word 'kral,' which means 'bent' or 'crooked,' likely referring to a physical characteristic or perhaps a topographical feature associated with the name's earliest bearers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, where a certain 'Henricus Krall' is mentioned in a document dated 1287. This suggests that the name was already established in the area by the late 13th century.
In the 15th century, the name appears in various records from the town of Nuremberg, with references to individuals such as 'Hans Krall' (1423-1489) and 'Katharina Krall' (1452-1521). These records provide valuable insights into the geographical spread of the name during the late medieval period.
During the 16th century, the surname Krall gained prominence with the rise of notable figures like Johannes Krall (1508-1574), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. Another notable bearer of the name from this era was Christoph Krall (1553-1612), a German composer and organist known for his sacred and secular works.
As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way into historical records in other regions. For instance, in the 17th century, the name appears in documents from the Netherlands, with mentions of individuals like 'Jan Krall' (1621-1679), a Dutch merchant and trader.
In the 18th century, the Krall name gained further prominence with the birth of Johann Krall (1723-1789), a German philosopher and writer whose works explored themes of ethics and morality. Another notable figure from this period was Wilhelm Krall (1745-1819), a German artist and engraver whose works were widely acclaimed for their intricate detail and artistic merit.
Moving into the 19th century, the Krall surname was associated with several prominent figures, including Karl Krall (1801-1875), a German historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of the Germanic tribes and their migrations. Additionally, there was August Krall (1832-1901), an Austrian linguist and Orientalist renowned for his contributions to the study of ancient languages and cultures.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have borne the surname Krall throughout history, but the name's rich legacy extends far beyond these mentions, with many other bearers having left their mark across various fields and disciplines over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Krall
Among Census respondents with the surname Krall, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Krall 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 Krall surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 3,127
- Two or more races3.2% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 34
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Krall
Krall 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
#8,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,980
+409 bearers (+11.5%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Up 172 places
2020
#9,239
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,385
-595 bearers (-14.9%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 911 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,500 | 3,571 | 1.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,328 | 3,980 | 1.35 | +409 bearers (+11.5%) | Up 172 places |
| 2020 | #9,239 | 3,385 | 1.13 | -595 bearers (-14.9%) | Down 911 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 Krall 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 | #8,328 | #9,239 | -10.9% |
| Count | 3,980 | 3,385 | -14.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.35 | 1.13 | -16.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Krall bearers went from 3,980 to 3,385 (-14.9% change). The surname moved down 911 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,328 to #9,239.
FAQ
Krall surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Krall?
Name Census estimates that about 3,882 living Americans carry the surname Krall. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 88,293 residents.
How common is Krall?
Krall ranks #9,239 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,385 people with the surname Krall. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,882), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Krall.
Has Krall become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Krall went from 3,980 recorded bearers to 3,385. That is a decrease of 595 (-14.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,328 to #9,239.
What does the Census say about the background of Krall?
Among Census respondents with the surname Krall, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Krall in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (3,127 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Krall appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (3.2%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Krall (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 Krall mean?
A surname of Czech origin, derived from the word "král," meaning "king." 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 Krall (1.13 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 Krall?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.