2000
#89,172
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 193
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Kuczma
A Polish surname derived from the Polish verb meaning "to curl or twist".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 248 Americans carry the last name Kuczma. That puts it at #91,558 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,382,074 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kuczma 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
248
1 in 1,382,074
Census rank
#91,558
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
216
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 216 bearers of the surname Kuczma in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 91558th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuczma, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kuczma
The surname KUCZMA is of Polish origin, with its earliest roots traceable to the 16th century. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old Polish word "kuczma," which referred to a type of fur hat or cap worn by men, particularly those of higher social standing. This connection suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of such headgear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KUCZMA surname can be found in the Akta Grodzkie Krakowskie (Records of the Cracow Land Court) from the late 16th century. These historical records mention a certain Jan Kuczma, a resident of the town of Czchów, located in the Lesser Poland region.
The KUCZMA name also appears in several Polish genealogical records from the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in the regions of Lesser Poland and Galicia. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:
1. Józef Kuczma (1761-1832), a Polish landowner and philanthropist from the Lublin region.
2. Jan Kuczma (1826-1897), a Polish painter and artist known for his landscapes and portraits.
3. Stanisław Kuczma (1849-1935), a Polish engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of early internal combustion engines.
4. Maria Kuczma (1892-1981), a Polish activist and social worker who advocated for women's rights and education.
5. Piotr Kuczma (1947-2010), a Polish mathematician and academic, renowned for his contributions to the field of functional analysis.
While the KUCZMA surname is predominantly found in Poland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration. Some variations in spelling, such as Kuczma, Kuchma, and Kuczymа, can be encountered, reflecting regional linguistic differences or adaptations over time.
Throughout its history, the KUCZMA surname has maintained a connection to its Polish roots, serving as a testament to the cultural and historical legacy of the regions from which it originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kuczma
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuczma, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kuczma 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 Kuczma surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 11
- Two or more races1.9% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kuczma
Kuczma 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
#90,113
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 205
+12 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 941 places
2020
#91,558
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 216
+11 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 1,445 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #89,172 | 193 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #90,113 | 205 | 0.07 | +12 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 941 places |
| 2020 | #91,558 | 216 | 0.07 | +11 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 1,445 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 Kuczma 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 | #90,113 | #91,558 | -1.6% |
| Count | 205 | 216 | 5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | 3.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kuczma bearers went from 205 to 216 (+5.4% change). The surname moved down 1,445 positions in the national ranking, going from #90,113 to #91,558.
FAQ
Kuczma surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kuczma?
Name Census estimates that about 248 living Americans carry the surname Kuczma. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,382,074 residents.
How common is Kuczma?
Kuczma ranks #91,558 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 216 people with the surname Kuczma. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (248), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Kuczma.
Has Kuczma become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kuczma went from 205 recorded bearers to 216. That is an increase of 11 (+5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #90,113 to #91,558.
What does the Census say about the background of Kuczma?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuczma, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Kuczma in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (201 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kuczma appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (5.1%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Kuczma (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 Kuczma mean?
A Polish surname derived from the Polish verb meaning "to curl or twist". 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 Kuczma (0.07 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 common is the surname Kuczma?
Want to know how many people have the surname Kuczma? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.