Find out how popular the last name Ahn is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ahn.

Ahn, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ahn in America

Ahn is the 3379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ahn surname appeared 10,567 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Ahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ahn to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ahn

The surname Ahn has its origins in Korea, dating back to the early Goryeo period (918-1392 CE). It is derived from the Korean word "ahn," which means "inside" or "inner." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived within a particular area or territory.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ahn can be found in the Goryeosa, a historical record of the Goryeo dynasty. It mentions an individual named Ahn Seung-hu, who lived during the 12th century and served as a high-ranking government official.

During the Joseon period (1392-1897 CE), the Ahn surname became particularly prevalent in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces of Korea. Some notable individuals from this time include Ahn Byeong-soon (1554-1623), a renowned scholar and poet, and Ahn Jeong-bon (1572-1624), a prominent military leader who played a crucial role in the Imjin War against Japan.

In the 19th century, the Ahn surname was associated with several influential figures in the Donghak Peasant Revolution, a major uprising against the ruling Joseon dynasty. One of the key leaders was Ahn Jeong-geun (1879-1910), who assassinated Ito Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan, in protest against Japanese colonial rule over Korea.

Another noteworthy individual with the Ahn surname was Ahn Chang-ho (1878-1938), a prominent educator and independence activist who founded the Daeseong School, one of the first modern educational institutions in Korea. He played a significant role in promoting Korean language and culture during the Japanese occupation.

In more recent history, the name Ahn has been associated with several influential figures in various fields. Ahn Sang-soo (1922-2015) was a renowned South Korean film director and screenwriter, known for his contributions to the Golden Age of South Korean cinema. Ahn Byung-soon (1936-2018) was a highly respected ceramist and master of the traditional Korean pottery technique known as Buncheong.

The surname Ahn continues to be widely used in both North and South Korea, as well as among Korean diaspora communities around the world. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient kingdoms of the Korean peninsula, and it has been borne by numerous notable individuals throughout the country's rich history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ahn

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ahn.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ahn was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ahn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ahn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ahn, please contact us.

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