2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kukacka
A Czech surname possibly derived from the word "kukacka" meaning caterpillar.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Kukacka. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kukacka 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Kukacka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kukacka, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kukacka
The surname Kukacka originates from the Czech Republic, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have been derived from the Old Czech word "kukačka," which means "cuckoo." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or a descriptive term for someone who was associated with the cuckoo bird or its characteristics.
The earliest known record of the Kukacka surname can be traced back to the 14th century, where it appeared in various historical documents and records from the region. One notable mention is found in the Registra Decimarum Papalium, a collection of papal tax records from the late 13th and early 14th centuries, which lists several individuals with the surname Kukacka residing in various villages and towns across Bohemia.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Kukacka name gained prominence in the Moravian region of the Czech lands. Several members of the Kukacka family were recorded as landowners and prominent citizens in towns such as Brno and Olomouc. One notable figure was Jan Kukacka (c. 1480-1549), a respected merchant and alderman in the city of Brno, who played a significant role in the local government and trade affairs.
In the 17th century, the Kukacka surname appeared in various records related to the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), a devastating conflict that engulfed much of Europe, including the Czech lands. Several Kukacka individuals were listed as soldiers or civilians affected by the war's events.
Another prominent figure associated with the Kukacka name was Vaclav Kukacka (1735-1811), a renowned Czech composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the Church of St. James in Prague. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded and contributed to the rich musical heritage of the Czech lands.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Kukacka surname continued to be prevalent in various regions of the Czech Republic, with individuals from this family line working in various professions, including agriculture, education, and skilled trades. One notable figure from this period was Frantisek Kukacka (1855-1932), a respected educator and author who wrote several books on Czech language and literature, and served as a professor at the University of Prague.
While the Kukacka surname is primarily associated with the Czech Republic, it has also been found in other neighboring countries, such as Slovakia and Poland, likely due to migration and cultural exchange within the region over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kukacka
Among Census respondents with the surname Kukacka, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kukacka 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 Kukacka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kukacka
Kukacka 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+7 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,662 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-29 bearers (-22.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 24,660 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 2,662 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -29 bearers (-22.3%) | Down 24,660 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 Kukacka 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 | #130,610 | #155,270 | -18.9% |
| Count | 130 | 101 | -22.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kukacka bearers went from 130 to 101 (-22.3% change). The surname moved down 24,660 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #155,270.
FAQ
Kukacka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kukacka?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Kukacka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Kukacka?
Kukacka ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Kukacka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kukacka.
Has Kukacka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kukacka went from 130 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 29 (-22.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Kukacka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kukacka, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Kukacka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kukacka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (5.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Kukacka (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 Kukacka mean?
A Czech surname possibly derived from the word "kukacka" meaning caterpillar. 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 Kukacka (0.03 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 have the last name Kukacka?
If you just want to know how many people are called Kukacka, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.