Explore the Family Name Kos
The meaning of Kos
1. Polish, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, Czech, and Slovak; Sorbian (Kós): nickname from kos (Sorbian kós) ‘blackbird’, denoting someone thought to resemble the bird in some way, for example someone with a good singing voice. The Sorbian surname is found mainly in Germanized forms, Koss and Kuss. Compare also Cos and Coss. 2. Czech, Slovak, and Croatian (Koš): metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker, from koš ‘basket’. The Sorbian cognates, Kóš (Lower Sorbian) and Koš (Upper Sorbian), are found in Germanized or Americanized forms, only (see Kosch and Kosh). 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): probably an artificial name from Slavic kos ‘blackbird’, as in 1; alternatively, from Hebrew kos ‘drinking glass’ or Yiddish kos ‘goblet, cup’, probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who made glasses or cups. 4. Dutch: from a pet form of the personal name Constantius (see Constant). 5. Hungarian (Kós): from kos ‘ram’, a loanword from Ottoman Turkish qoç (compare Koc); perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd but more probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kos in the United States?
The surname Kos, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, has seen minor shifts in its popularity from 2000 to 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 16,360th most common, while in 2010, it fell slightly to the 17,026th spot, representing a decline of 4.07%. The total count of individuals with this surname increased slightly from 1,621 in 2000 to 1,669 in 2010, an uptick of 2.96%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a slight decrease of 5% from 0.6 in 2000 to 0.57 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,360 | #17,026 | -4.07% |
| Count | 1,621 | 1,669 | 2.96% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 0.57 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kos
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some changes between 2000 and 2010 for those with the surname Kos. In 2000, the largest ethnic identity was White, at 94.76%, which marginally decreased to 94.61% in 2010. There was a marked increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic, going up 33.33% and 33.78% respectively. Those identifying as two or more races saw a drop of 39.09%. A new addition in 2010 was the Black community, making up 0.90% of the Kos surname bearers. There were no individuals identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.76% | 94.61% | -0.16% |
| Hispanic | 1.48% | 1.98% | 33.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.99% | 1.32% | 33.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.97% | 1.2% | -39.09% |
| Black | 0% | 0.9% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |