Explore the Family Name Kalas

The meaning of Kalas

1. Czech and Slovak (Kalaš): from a derivative of the personal name Kála, a short form of Kalist, Late Latin Calixtus (see Kalista). 2. Slovak (also Kalás): probably an altered form of klas ‘ear, spike’ (compare Hungarian name below). 3. Croatian (Kalaš): unflattering nickname from kalaš ‘wastrel, debauchee’, a word of Turkish origin. 4. Americanized form of Hungarian Kalász: metonymic occupational name from kalász ‘ear or stem of wheat or other cereal’, a word of Slavic origin (compare Slovak name above). Alternatively, it may be a habitational name from any of various places, such as Kalász (now in Slovakia) and Budakalász (Pest County), named after the ancient Turkic people known in Hungarian as the Kaliz and in English as the Khalyzians or Khwarizmians.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Kalas in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Kalas saw a notable decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 31,167 in terms of popularity but dropped to 37,341 by 2010, reflecting a decline of approximately 19.81%. The count of individuals with the Kalas surname also fell from 704 in 2000 to 597 in 2010, marking a drop of 15.2%. Correspondingly, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 23.08%, from 0.26 to 0.2.

20002010Change
Rank#31,167#37,341-19.81%
Count704597-15.2%
Proportion per 100k0.260.2-23.08%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kalas

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shift in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kalas over the decade. In 2000, the majority of people with this surname identified as White (93.89%). This proportion slightly rose to 95.48% by 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those claiming two or more races both saw a decline, falling by 31.18% and 56.67% respectively. Interestingly, the share of individuals with the Kalas surname who identify as Hispanic increased from 1.28% in 2000 to 2.01% in 2010, showing an increase of 57.03%. No change was observed in the Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native categories, remaining at 0% throughout both years.

20002010Change
White93.89%95.48%1.69%
Hispanic1.28%2.01%57.03%
Asian/Pacific Islander1.7%1.17%-31.18%
Two or More Races2.7%1.17%-56.67%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%