Explore the Family Name Kus
The meaning of Kus
1. Polish and Croatian: descriptive nickname from Polish kusy, Croatian kus ‘(too) short, truncated’. See also Polish Kusy and Croatian Kusic. 2. Czech (mainly Kůs) and Slovenian: nickname from Czech kůs, Slovenian kus, an old and dialect spelling of kos ‘blackbird’ (see Kos), respectively. 3. Czech (Kuš): nickname derived from kuše ‘crossbow’. Compare Cush and Kush. 4. German: variant of Kuss. 5. German: nickname from Middle Low German kuse ‘club’ or ‘molar-tooth’. 6. German: metonymic occupational name for a farmer, from Middle High German kuose ‘female calf or sheep’. 7. Hungarian: from Turkish kuş ‘bird’. This was a totemic symbol of an ancient Hungarian clan, hence a protective name for a member of the tribe. Compare Cush and Kush. 8. Turkish (Kuş): ornamental name or nickname from kuş ‘bird’. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Andrzej, Boguslaw, Krystyna, Ludwik, Miroslaw, Tadeusz, Tadusz. German Florian, Otto, Winfried.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kus in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Kus has seen slight shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 25,547th most popular surname in the United States with a count of 908, equating to a proportion of 0.34 per 100,000 people. By 2010, although the rank slipped slightly to 26,143, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased marginally to 936. This increase in count, however, did not translate to an increase in proportion per 100,000 people, which saw a decrease of approximately 5.88% to 0.32.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,547 | #26,143 | -2.33% |
| Count | 908 | 936 | 3.08% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.34 | 0.32 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kus
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals bearing the surname Kus identify as White, with a slight decrease from 94.93% in 2000 to 93.91% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander rose by a significant 50.41%, from 1.21% to 1.82%. Meanwhile, the Hispanic representation also experienced growth, increasing from 2.31% to 2.56%. Interestingly, there was a new demographic in 2010 that identified as Black, making up 0.96% of the total. However, those identifying with two or more races went from 0.88% in 2000 to being completely absent in 2010. No individuals identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.93% | 93.91% | -1.07% |
| Hispanic | 2.31% | 2.56% | 10.82% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.21% | 1.82% | 50.41% |
| Black | 0% | 0.96% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.88% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |