2000
#116,123
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kuskowski
Of Polish origin, possibly derived from 'kusa' meaning lame or defective.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 178 Americans carry the last name Kuskowski. That puts it at #118,445 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,925,586 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kuskowski 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
178
1 in 1,925,586
Census rank
#118,445
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
155
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 155 bearers of the surname Kuskowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 118445th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuskowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kuskowski
The surname KUSKOWSKI is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region of central Poland. The name is derived from the Slavic word "kusz," which means "bowman" or "archer," suggesting that the original bearer of this surname may have been a skilled archer or a member of the archer class.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KUSKOWSKI name can be found in the Teutonic Order's records from the 13th century, where a certain Marcin Kuskowski was mentioned as a skilled archer serving in the Order's army. This provides evidence that the name was already in use during that time period.
In the 15th century, a prominent KUSKOWSKI family resided in the town of Lipno, located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region. Several members of this family were noted in local chronicles as influential landowners and municipal leaders. One notable figure was Jan KUSKOWSKI (c. 1420-1498), who served as the mayor of Lipno and played a crucial role in negotiating trade agreements with neighboring towns.
During the Renaissance period, the KUSKOWSKI name gained further recognition with the birth of Jakub KUSKOWSKI (1540-1618), a renowned Polish painter and architect. His works, including several frescoes in churches and noble residences across Poland, are considered masterpieces of the Renaissance style.
In the 17th century, the KUSKOWSKI family expanded their influence, with several members serving in various military and administrative roles. One such figure was Stanisław KUSKOWSKI (1622-1678), a distinguished cavalry officer who fought in the Polish-Swedish wars and was awarded numerous honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Another notable bearer of the KUSKOWSKI name was Maria KUSKOWSKI (1754-1832), a prominent philanthropist and patron of the arts. She established several educational institutions and sponsored numerous artistic endeavors, leaving a lasting legacy in the cultural landscape of her time.
Throughout its history, the KUSKOWSKI surname has maintained a strong presence in Poland, with various branches of the family dispersing across different regions over the centuries. While the name may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation over time, its origins as a Polish surname rooted in the archer's trade have remained a constant thread in its rich historical tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kuskowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuskowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kuskowski 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 Kuskowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.8% · 150
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 4
- Two or more races0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kuskowski
Kuskowski 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
#108,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
+24 bearers (+17.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 7,389 places
2020
#118,445
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 155
-8 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,711 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,123 | 139 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #108,734 | 163 | 0.06 | +24 bearers (+17.3%) | Up 7,389 places |
| 2020 | #118,445 | 155 | 0.05 | -8 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 9,711 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 Kuskowski 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 | #108,734 | #118,445 | -8.9% |
| Count | 163 | 155 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -13.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kuskowski bearers went from 163 to 155 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 9,711 positions in the national ranking, going from #108,734 to #118,445.
FAQ
Kuskowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kuskowski?
Name Census estimates that about 178 living Americans carry the surname Kuskowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,925,586 residents.
How common is Kuskowski?
Kuskowski ranks #118,445 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 155 people with the surname Kuskowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (178), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Kuskowski.
Has Kuskowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kuskowski went from 163 recorded bearers to 155. That is a decrease of 8 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #108,734 to #118,445.
What does the Census say about the background of Kuskowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuskowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Kuskowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.8% (150 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kuskowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.8%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Kuskowski (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 Kuskowski mean?
Of Polish origin, possibly derived from 'kusa' meaning lame or defective. 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 Kuskowski (0.05 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 Kuskowski?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Kuskowski at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.