Cahn
A surname derived from the Hebrew word "kohen," meaning priest or minister.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,577 Americans carry the last name Cahn. That puts it at #19,803 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 217,346 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cahn surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
1.6K
1 in 217,346
Census rank
#19,803
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,358 bearers of the surname Cahn in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 19803rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cahn
The surname Cahn is of German origin, and it is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria in southern Germany during the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Hebrew given name "Chaim," which means "life" or "alive." It is possible that the name was adopted by Jewish families who emigrated from the Holy Land to Germany during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cahn can be found in a German census record from the late 15th century, where a man named Hans Cahn was listed as a resident of the town of Augsburg. The name was also mentioned in a document from the 16th century, which referred to a certain Jakob Cahn, who was a merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg.
In the 17th century, the name Cahn appeared in several historical records related to the Jewish community in Frankfurt, Germany. For example, a man named Moses Cahn was listed as a prominent member of the local synagogue in the year 1642. Another notable individual with this surname was Isaac Cahn, who was born in Frankfurt in 1670 and became a renowned scholar and rabbi.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cahn name began to spread beyond Germany as members of the family migrated to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. One notable figure was Jacob Cahn (1792-1868), who was born in the town of Heidelberg and later became a successful businessman and philanthropist in the United States.
Another prominent individual with the surname Cahn was Julius Cahn (1847-1935), who was born in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland) and later became a respected theater manager and impresario in New York City. He was responsible for introducing many notable productions to American audiences, including the plays of Anton Chekhov and Henrik Ibsen.
In the 20th century, the Cahn name was further spread by individuals such as Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), an American lyricist and songwriter who was born in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents from Germany. He is best known for his contributions to popular songs such as "Three Coins in the Fountain," "High Hopes," and "Call Me Irresponsible."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cahn
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Cahn bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Cahn surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8%
- Black or African American5.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8%
- Two or more races0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Cahn surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,803 | #19,803 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,358 | 1,358 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Cahn bearers went from 1,358 to 1,358 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #19,803 to #19,803.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Cahn
FAQ
Cahn surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Cahn?
The surname Cahn holds position #19,803 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,577 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.46 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Cahn surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.