2000
#9,874
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,016
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.12
Rare Last name
Kujawa
A Polish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "place where blacksmiths work."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,375 Americans carry the last name Kujawa. That puts it at #10,423 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,557 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kujawa 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kujawa with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 101,557
Census rank
#10,423
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,943 bearers of the surname Kujawa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10423rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kujawa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kujawa
The surname KUJAWA is of Polish origin and dates back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Polish word "kuj," which means "to forge" or "to hammer," referring to the occupation of a blacksmith.
The name KUJAWA is believed to have originated in the region of Kujawy, a historical province located in central Poland, known for its fertile soil and agricultural traditions. The earliest recorded mention of the name can be found in the records of the city of Bydgoszcz, located in the Kujawy region, in the late 1300s.
During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from occupations, locations, or personal characteristics. The name KUJAWA likely originated as a descriptive surname for individuals who worked as blacksmiths or were associated with the metalworking trade in the Kujawy region.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname KUJAWA was Jan Kujawa, a prominent blacksmith who lived in the town of Toruń in the late 15th century. Historical records indicate that he was well-respected for his craftsmanship and contributed to the construction of several notable buildings in the city.
In the 16th century, the name KUJAWA appeared in the records of the nearby city of Włocławek, where a family of blacksmiths bearing the surname was documented. This family was known for their skills in forging agricultural tools and implements, which were essential for the region's thriving farming community.
Another notable individual with the surname KUJAWA was Marcin Kujawa, a Polish scholar and writer who lived in the 17th century. He was born in the town of Inowrocław in the Kujawy region and is remembered for his contributions to the field of linguistics and his works on the Polish language.
In the 18th century, the name KUJAWA was associated with several prominent military figures. One such individual was Michał Kujawa, a cavalry officer who served in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was known for his bravery and leadership during the wars against the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire.
As the surname KUJAWA spread beyond the Kujawy region, it became more widely adopted across Poland. In the 19th century, the name was associated with several influential figures in the arts and literature. One notable example was Maria Kujawa, a celebrated Polish poet and writer who was born in the city of Poznań in 1837.
Throughout its history, the surname KUJAWA has maintained its connection to the Kujawy region and its metalworking traditions. It continues to be a prominent surname in Poland and among Polish communities around the world, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and a legacy of skilled craftsmanship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kujawa
Among Census respondents with the surname Kujawa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Kujawa 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 Kujawa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5% · 2,782
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 68
- Two or more races2.2% · 65
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
- Black or African American0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kujawa
Kujawa 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
#10,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,039
+23 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Down 674 places
2020
#10,423
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,943
-96 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Up 125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,874 | 3,016 | 1.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,548 | 3,039 | 1.03 | +23 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 674 places |
| 2020 | #10,423 | 2,943 | 0.98 | -96 bearers (-3.2%) | Up 125 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 Kujawa 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 | #10,548 | #10,423 | 1.2% |
| Count | 3,039 | 2,943 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 0.98 | -4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kujawa bearers went from 3,039 to 2,943 (-3.2% change). The surname moved up 125 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,548 to #10,423.
FAQ
Kujawa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kujawa?
Name Census estimates that about 3,375 living Americans carry the surname Kujawa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,557 residents.
How common is Kujawa?
Kujawa ranks #10,423 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.98 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 2,943 people with the surname Kujawa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,375), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.98 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 Kujawa.
Has Kujawa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kujawa went from 3,039 recorded bearers to 2,943. That is a decrease of 96 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,548 to #10,423.
What does the Census say about the background of Kujawa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kujawa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Kujawa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (2,782 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kujawa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.5%), Hispanic (2.3%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Kujawa (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 Kujawa mean?
A Polish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "place where blacksmiths work." 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 Kujawa (0.98 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 Kujawa?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Kujawa on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.