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

Dahn, 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 Dahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dahn in America

Dahn is the 19896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dahn surname appeared 1,350 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dahn 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 Dahn

The surname Dahn has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "dun," which means "hill" or "elevated ground." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to denote someone who lived on or near a hill.

The Dahn surname is closely associated with the town of Dahn, located in the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany. This town is situated in the Palatinate Forest, a low mountain range that straddles the border between Germany and France. It is possible that the name originated from this specific location, with early bearers adopting the name to indicate their place of origin or residence.

In the 16th century, the Dahn surname appears in various records and documents from the Palatinate region. One notable example is the mention of a Johann Dahn in a church register from the town of Dahn, dated 1543. This provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during this time period.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dahn surname spread across different parts of Germany, with several notable bearers emerging. One such individual was Johann Friedrich Dahn (1759-1831), a German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg.

Another prominent figure with the Dahn surname was Felix Dahn (1834-1912), a German jurist, novelist, and poet. He was best known for his historical novels set in the era of the Germanic tribes and their conflicts with the Roman Empire. Dahn's works played a significant role in shaping the national romantic movement in 19th-century Germany.

In the 20th century, Hans Dahn (1909-1996) was a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served as a member of the Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany, from 1953 to 1969.

Additionally, the Dahn surname has been associated with various locations and place names throughout Germany. For example, the town of Dahn in the Palatinate region is believed to have derived its name from the same etymological root as the surname. Similarly, there are other places such as Dahnsdorf and Dahndorf, which may have connections to the Dahn surname or its variations.

While the surname Dahn is not among the most common in Germany, it has a rich history and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, including academia, literature, and politics. Its origins can be traced back to the 16th century and are deeply rooted in the geographical and cultural landscape of southwestern Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dahn

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

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 Dahn 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 Dahn 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 Dahn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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