2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kuegler
An occupational surname derived from an obsolete German word referring to a maker of wooden bowls or tubs.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Kuegler. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kuegler 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Kuegler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuegler, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kuegler
The surname Kuegler is of German origin, with roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
One of the earliest known references to the name Kuegler can be found in a historical document from the late 13th century, where it was recorded as "Kugeler." This spelling variation likely stemmed from the Old High German word "kugel," which translates to "ball" or "sphere," potentially indicating an occupation or family trade related to metalworking or pottery.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Kuegler began to appear more frequently in various records and manuscripts across southern Germany. In some instances, it was associated with the place name "Kugelberg," which could have influenced the surname's evolution over time.
Notable individuals bearing the Kuegler surname include Johann Kuegler (1567-1631), a respected goldsmith and artist who contributed to the ornate decorations of the Würzburg Residence in Würzburg, Germany. Another prominent figure was Caspar Kuegler (1622-1692), a Bavarian architect and master builder renowned for his work on several churches and public buildings in the region.
In the 18th century, the Kuegler family gained prominence in the field of education. Johann Michael Kuegler (1737-1819) was a renowned educator and author who established several schools and wrote influential textbooks on subjects such as mathematics and geography.
As the surname spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Kügler, Kügeler, and Kuegler. In the 19th century, Wilhelm Kuegler (1823-1879), a German artist and writer, gained recognition for his contributions to the arts and literature.
Throughout its history, the Kuegler surname has been carried by individuals from various professions, including artisans, architects, educators, and artists. While its exact origins remain subject to speculation, the name's evolution reflects the rich cultural heritage of southern Germany and the diverse contributions of those who bore it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kuegler
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuegler, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kuegler 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 Kuegler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.4% · 111
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kuegler
Kuegler 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+4 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,020 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-14 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,289 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 5,020 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 14,289 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 Kuegler 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 | #132,206 | #146,495 | -10.8% |
| Count | 128 | 114 | -10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kuegler bearers went from 128 to 114 (-10.9% change). The surname moved down 14,289 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #146,495.
FAQ
Kuegler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kuegler?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Kuegler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Kuegler?
Kuegler ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Kuegler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Kuegler.
Has Kuegler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kuegler went from 128 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Kuegler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuegler, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Kuegler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kuegler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.4%), Two or More Races (1.8%), Black (0.9%). 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 Kuegler (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 Kuegler mean?
An occupational surname derived from an obsolete German word referring to a maker of wooden bowls or tubs. 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 Kuegler (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 Kuegler?
See how many Americans have the surname Kuegler on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.