2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kubu
A name derived from a Tswana word meaning "hippopotamus".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Kubu. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kubu 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Kubu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kubu, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kubu
The surname KUBU originates from the African region of what is now modern-day Botswana. It is believed to have emerged in the 15th century, derived from the Setswana word "kubu," meaning hippopotamus. The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptor for someone perceived to have a large, strong build resembling the animal.
Historical records indicate that the KUBU name was relatively common among the Batswana people, particularly in the Ngamiland and Chobe regions of northern Botswana. References to individuals with the KUBU surname can be found in oral histories and traditional folklore passed down through generations.
One of the earliest documented instances of the KUBU surname dates back to the 17th century, when a Chief Kubu Letsholathebe of the Batawana tribe is mentioned in accounts of the region's political landscape. He is believed to have ruled from approximately 1670 to 1700.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Kubu Tshosa (born circa 1820) gained prominence as a respected hunter and guide among the Batawana people. His skills and knowledge of the Okavango Delta region were highly regarded, and he played a pivotal role in facilitating early European expeditions into the area.
Another individual of historical significance was Kubu Tshekedi (1858-1923), a chief of the Bamangwato people in what is now central Botswana. He is remembered for his efforts to maintain tribal autonomy and navigate the challenges posed by the encroaching British colonial presence during his reign.
In more recent times, Kubu Samang (1934-2001) was a prominent Botswana politician who served as the country's Minister of Agriculture from 1979 to 1984. He played a crucial role in shaping the nation's agricultural policies and promoting the development of the sector.
It's worth noting that variations of the spelling, such as Kubo or Khubu, may also be encountered in historical records, reflecting regional linguistic differences or transcription variations over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kubu
Among Census respondents with the surname Kubu, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kubu 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 Kubu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.6% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 9
- Black or African American3.6% · 4
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kubu
Kubu 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,465 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,193 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 5,465 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 2,193 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 Kubu 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 | #147,253 | #149,446 | -1.5% |
| Count | 112 | 110 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kubu bearers went from 112 to 110 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 2,193 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #149,446.
FAQ
Kubu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kubu?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Kubu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Kubu?
Kubu ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Kubu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Kubu.
Has Kubu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kubu went from 112 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Kubu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kubu, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (3.6%). 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 Kubu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kubu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.6%), Hispanic (8.2%), Black (3.6%). 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 Kubu (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 Kubu mean?
A name derived from a Tswana word meaning "hippopotamus". 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 Kubu (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 are called Kubu?
See how many Americans have the surname Kubu on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.