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

Horn, 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 Horn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Horn in America

Horn is the 655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Horn surname appeared 52,138 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 18 people would have the surname Horn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Horn 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 Horn

The surname Horn has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "horn," which referred to the material made from the horns of animals. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who worked with or traded in horn-based products.

The earliest recorded instances of the Horn surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Horne, Horn, and Hornd, indicating regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Horn surname was Walter de Horne, who lived in the 12th century and served as a knight and landowner in Somerset, England. Another notable figure was John Horn, a 14th-century English merchant and alderman of London, who played a significant role in the city's trade and governance.

In the 15th century, the Horn surname was associated with several prominent families in various parts of England. For instance, the Horns of Somersetshire were a well-established gentry family, while the Horns of Lancashire held lands and estates in the northern regions of the country.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Horn surname continued to spread across England, with several individuals achieving notable positions and accomplishments. One such figure was Henry Horn (1563-1627), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Winchester and was renowned for his theological writings.

Another individual of note was Robert Horn (1620-1670), an English merchant and adventurer who traveled extensively in Africa and is credited with introducing the guinea fowl to Britain.

As the Horn surname evolved, it also gave rise to various place names and locations derived from it. For example, the village of Hornby in Lancashire and the town of Horncastle in Lincolnshire are believed to have originated from the Horn surname and its association with local landowners or settlers.

Throughout history, the Horn surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including artists, writers, politicians, and military figures. Some notable examples include Camilo José Horn (1818-1896), a Chilean writer and diplomat, and Charles Edward Horn (1786-1849), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Horn

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

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

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

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