2000
#10,375
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,846
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.06
Rare Last name
Hohn
A German surname derived from a shortened form of the given name Johann or Johannes, meaning "God is gracious."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,866 Americans carry the last name Hohn. That puts it at #11,957 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.84 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 119,593 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hohn 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
2.9K
1 in 119,593
Census rank
#11,957
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,499 bearers of the surname Hohn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.84 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11957th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hohn
The surname HOHN is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the German word "hohn," which translates to "mockery" or "derision." This suggests that the name was likely bestowed upon an individual who possessed a sarcastic or mocking demeanor.
The earliest recorded instances of the HOHN surname can be found in historical documents from the 14th century, primarily concentrated in the regions of Saxony and Bavaria. One notable mention is in the Bürger Register (Citizen Register) of the city of Leipzig, where a certain Johann Hohn is listed as a resident in the year 1387.
During the 16th century, the HOHN name gained prominence in the town of Kitzingen, located in the modern-day state of Bavaria. Records from this period indicate that a family of skilled blacksmiths carried the HOHN surname, with their craft being passed down through generations.
One of the most notable individuals bearing the HOHN name was Johannes Hohn (1585-1659), a renowned theologian and rector of the University of Leipzig. His scholarly works on theology and philosophy were widely circulated throughout Europe during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the HOHN surname found its way into the annals of military history with the exploits of Friedrich Wilhelm Hohn (1712-1788), a Prussian general who served under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War. His strategic prowess and leadership on the battlefield earned him recognition and numerous honors.
Another noteworthy figure was the German composer and organist Georg Michael Hohn (1763-1821), whose compositions for the organ and church choirs were highly regarded in his time. His works were performed in various churches and cathedrals throughout the German-speaking regions.
As the 19th century dawned, the HOHN name gained literary prominence with the writer and poet Karl Hohn (1810-1875). His poetic works, often depicting the beauty of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed and published in various literary journals of the era.
Throughout its history, the HOHN surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from scholars and military figures to artists and artisans. While its origins may have stemmed from a somewhat derisive connotation, the name has nonetheless left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Germany and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hohn
Among Census respondents with the surname Hohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Hohn 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 Hohn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6% · 2,213
- Black or African American3.8% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 77
- Two or more races3.0% · 74
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hohn
Hohn 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
#11,508
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,733
-113 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Down 1,133 places
2020
#11,957
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,499
-234 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 449 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,375 | 2,846 | 1.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,508 | 2,733 | 0.93 | -113 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 1,133 places |
| 2020 | #11,957 | 2,499 | 0.84 | -234 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 449 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 Hohn 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 | #11,508 | #11,957 | -3.9% |
| Count | 2,733 | 2,499 | -8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.93 | 0.84 | -10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hohn bearers went from 2,733 to 2,499 (-8.6% change). The surname moved down 449 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,508 to #11,957.
FAQ
Hohn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hohn?
Name Census estimates that about 2,866 living Americans carry the surname Hohn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 119,593 residents.
How common is Hohn?
Hohn ranks #11,957 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.84 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,499 people with the surname Hohn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,866), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.84 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.84 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hohn.
Has Hohn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hohn went from 2,733 recorded bearers to 2,499. That is a decrease of 234 (-8.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,508 to #11,957.
What does the Census say about the background of Hohn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Hohn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.6% (2,213 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hohn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.6%), Black (3.8%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Hohn (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 Hohn mean?
A German surname derived from a shortened form of the given name Johann or Johannes, meaning "God is gracious." 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 Hohn (0.84 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 last name Hohn?
Want to know how many people are called Hohn? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.