2000
#111,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 147
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Cahen
A surname of Hebrew origin derived from the Jewish priestly class of "Kohanim".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Cahen. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cahen 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Cahen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahen, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cahen
The surname CAHEN originated in the region of Normandy, France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "caane" or "cahagne", which referred to a small dwelling or hut. This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify someone who lived in a modest home or cottage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CAHEN surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This indicates that individuals bearing this name were present in Normandy and possibly other parts of northern France during the 11th century.
In the 13th century, records show the existence of a village called "Cahen" in the Eure region of Normandy. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, with individuals taking on the name of their place of residence or origin, as was common practice during that time period.
Notable individuals with the CAHEN surname include Pierre Cahen (1599-1661), a French painter and engraver known for his depictions of religious subjects and landscapes. Another notable figure was Samuel Cahen (1765-1835), a French banker and financier who played a significant role in the development of the French banking system during the early 19th century.
In the realm of literature, the name CAHEN is associated with Gaston Cahen (1870-1943), a French historian and author who made significant contributions to the study of medieval Islamic history, particularly in the areas of numismatics and epigraphy.
The CAHEN surname also gained prominence in the field of science, with Albert Cahen (1846-1903), a French chemist and industrialist who made significant contributions to the development of the sugar industry and the production of artificial sweeteners.
Another notable figure was Georges Cahen (1919-2014), a French historian and academic who specialized in the history of the Crusades and the medieval Islamic world. His works on the interactions between the Christian and Muslim worlds during the Crusades period were highly influential and widely recognized.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the CAHEN surname who have left their mark on various fields throughout history, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cahen
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahen, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cahen 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 Cahen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cahen
Cahen 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-16 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,706 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-16 bearers (-12.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,932 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #111,119 | 147 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 18,706 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.2%) | Down 15,932 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 Cahen 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 | #129,825 | #145,757 | -12.3% |
| Count | 131 | 115 | -12.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cahen bearers went from 131 to 115 (-12.2% change). The surname moved down 15,932 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #145,757.
FAQ
Cahen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cahen?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Cahen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Cahen?
Cahen ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 115 people with the surname Cahen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Cahen.
Has Cahen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cahen went from 131 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Cahen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahen, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Cahen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cahen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (3.5%), Black (1.7%). 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 Cahen (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 Cahen mean?
A surname of Hebrew origin derived from the Jewish priestly class of "Kohanim". 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 Cahen (0.04 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 common is the surname Cahen?
You can see how many people have the last name Cahen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.