2000
#107,565
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Akaka
A Hawaiian surname referring to a shadow, reflection, or likeness.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 221 Americans carry the last name Akaka. That puts it at #100,083 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,550,925 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Akaka 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
221
1 in 1,550,925
Census rank
#100,083
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
193
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 193 bearers of the surname Akaka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 100083rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Akaka, the largest self-reported group is Two or More Races at 43.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.3%) and Hispanic (12.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Akaka
The surname AKAKA has its origins in Hawaii, where it is believed to have emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century. Akaka is thought to be derived from the Hawaiian word "akāka," which means "bold" or "brave." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals who displayed courage or fearlessness in their actions.
Historically, the AKAKA surname appears to have been concentrated primarily in the Hawaiian Islands, particularly on the island of Hawaii. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of missionary William Ellis, who visited the Hawaiian Islands in the 1820s and documented the name "Akaka" in his journals.
In the late 19th century, a notable figure bearing the AKAKA surname was Keoni Ana Akaka, a Hawaiian farmer and rancher who lived from 1833 to 1913. He was known for his efforts in preserving Hawaiian cultural traditions and advocating for the rights of Native Hawaiians.
Another prominent individual was Joseph Kealoha Akaka, born in 1904 and who served as a judge in the District Court of Hawaii. He was instrumental in establishing the Hawaiian Homestead Commission, which aimed to provide land and housing opportunities for Native Hawaiians.
In more recent history, Daniel Kahikina Akaka, born in 1924, gained recognition as a United States Senator representing Hawaii from 1990 to 2013. He was the first Native Hawaiian to serve in the U.S. Senate and played a key role in advocating for Hawaiian rights and issues during his tenure.
Additionally, the AKAKA surname is linked to the Akaka Falls, a stunning 442-foot waterfall located on the island of Hawaii. The falls are named after the nearby Akaka family, who once owned the land surrounding the area.
While the exact origins of the AKAKA surname may be shrouded in mystery, its connection to Hawaiian culture and history is undeniable. The name has been carried by individuals who have left an indelible mark on the islands and have contributed to the preservation of Hawaiian heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Akaka
Among Census respondents with the surname Akaka, the largest self-reported group is Two or More Races at 43.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.3%) and Hispanic (12.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Akaka 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 Akaka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Two or more races43.0% · 83
- Asian and Pacific Islander36.3% · 70
- Hispanic or Latino12.4% · 24
- White7.3% · 14
- Black or African American1.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Akaka
Akaka 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
#101,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 177
+24 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 5,828 places
2020
#100,083
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 193
+16 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 1,654 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #107,565 | 153 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #101,737 | 177 | 0.06 | +24 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 5,828 places |
| 2020 | #100,083 | 193 | 0.06 | +16 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 1,654 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 Akaka 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 | #101,737 | #100,083 | 1.6% |
| Count | 177 | 193 | 9.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 7.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Akaka bearers went from 177 to 193 (+9.0% change). The surname moved up 1,654 positions in the national ranking, going from #101,737 to #100,083.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Akaka
FAQ
Akaka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Akaka?
Name Census estimates that about 221 living Americans carry the surname Akaka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,550,925 residents.
How common is Akaka?
Akaka ranks #100,083 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 193 people with the surname Akaka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (221), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Akaka.
Has Akaka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Akaka went from 177 recorded bearers to 193. That is an increase of 16 (+9.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #101,737 to #100,083.
What does the Census say about the background of Akaka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Akaka, the largest self-reported group is Two or More Races at 43.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.3%) and Hispanic (12.4%). 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?
Two or More Races is the largest self-reported group for the surname Akaka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 43.0% (83 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Akaka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Two or More Races (43.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (36.3%), Hispanic (12.4%). 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 Akaka (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 Akaka mean?
A Hawaiian surname referring to a shadow, reflection, or likeness. 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 Akaka (0.06 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 Akaka?
See how many people have the last name Akaka on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.