2000
#33,876
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 634
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.24
Very Rare Last name
Biehn
A German surname derived from a Germanic personal name with an uncertain origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 823 Americans carry the last name Biehn. That puts it at #34,057 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 416,469 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Biehn 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
823
1 in 416,469
Census rank
#34,057
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
718
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 718 bearers of the surname Biehn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34057th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Biehn, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Biehn
The surname Biehn is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it was initially recorded as Bihn or Bihne. The name is likely derived from the German word "biegen," meaning "to bend" or "to curve," suggesting a possible occupational connection to metalworking or a topographical descriptor.
One of the earliest known references to the Biehn name can be found in the church records of Nuremberg, dating back to the late 1500s. These records document the birth and marriage of individuals bearing the name Bihn or Bihne during this period. It is worth noting that variations in spelling were common during this era, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet widely established.
The Biehn surname gained further recognition in the 17th century, with several notable individuals emerging. Johann Biehn, a prominent scholar and theologian born in 1621 in Saxony, was renowned for his contributions to religious studies and his published works on biblical exegesis. Another figure, Hans Biehn (1647-1712), was a skilled artisan and metalworker who gained recognition for his intricate metalwork designs.
In the 18th century, the name Biehn appeared in various official records and documents across central and eastern Germany. One noteworthy individual was Friedrich Biehn (1731-1798), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the city of Dresden. His writings on legal principles and jurisprudence were widely studied and influential during his time.
As the 19th century dawned, the Biehn surname expanded its reach, with individuals bearing the name venturing beyond the borders of Germany. One such individual was Wilhelm Biehn (1812-1879), a German immigrant to the United States who settled in Pennsylvania and became a successful businessman and landowner. His descendants played a role in the growth and development of the Lehigh Valley region.
Another notable figure from this era was Sophie Biehn (1836-1905), a German-born artist and painter who gained recognition for her landscapes and portraiture. Her works were exhibited in various galleries across Europe and are now held in several prestigious art collections.
As the Biehn surname has endured through the centuries, it has maintained its connection to its German heritage while also spreading across the globe. From its humble beginnings as a descriptive or occupational name, it has evolved into a proud and enduring legacy, carried forward by generations of individuals who have left their mark on history in diverse fields and endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Biehn
Among Census respondents with the surname Biehn, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Biehn 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 Biehn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 680
- Two or more races2.4% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 15
- Black or African American0.4% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Biehn
Biehn 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
#31,906
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 723
+89 bearers (+14.0%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Up 1,970 places
2020
#34,057
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 718
-5 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Down 2,151 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #33,876 | 634 | 0.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,906 | 723 | 0.25 | +89 bearers (+14.0%) | Up 1,970 places |
| 2020 | #34,057 | 718 | 0.24 | -5 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 2,151 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 Biehn 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 | #31,906 | #34,057 | -6.7% |
| Count | 723 | 718 | -0.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.24 | -3.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Biehn bearers went from 723 to 718 (-0.7% change). The surname moved down 2,151 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,906 to #34,057.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Biehn
FAQ
Biehn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Biehn?
Name Census estimates that about 823 living Americans carry the surname Biehn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 416,469 residents.
How common is Biehn?
Biehn ranks #34,057 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 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 718 people with the surname Biehn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (823), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 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 Biehn.
Has Biehn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Biehn went from 723 recorded bearers to 718. That is a decrease of 5 (-0.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #31,906 to #34,057.
What does the Census say about the background of Biehn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Biehn, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Biehn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (680 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Biehn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Two or More Races (2.4%), Hispanic (2.1%). 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 Biehn (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 Biehn mean?
A German surname derived from a Germanic personal name with an uncertain origin. 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 Biehn (0.24 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 surname Biehn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.