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

Kahn, 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 Kahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kahn in America

Kahn is the 2473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kahn surname appeared 14,584 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Kahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kahn 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 Kahn

The surname Kahn originated in the Indian subcontinent and is derived from the Persian word "Khan," which means "ruler" or "chief." This name has a long and rich history that can be traced back to the Mongol conquest of the region in the 13th century.

During this period, the Mongol rulers and their descendants were often referred to as "Khans," and this title eventually became a surname for their families and followers. The earliest recorded examples of the name Kahn can be found in Persian and Arabic manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the most famous historical figures with the surname Kahn was Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, who was born around 1162 CE. Another notable figure was Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who ruled from 1628 to 1658 CE and built the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

As the Mongol and Persian influence spread across the Indian subcontinent, the name Kahn became more widespread and was adopted by various communities. In some regions, the name was also influenced by local languages and dialects, resulting in variations such as "Khan" or "Khaun."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kahn in a place name can be found in the town of Kahna, located in present-day Pakistan. This town was established in the 16th century and was likely named after a local ruler or chief with the surname Kahn.

Another notable individual with the surname Kahn was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, an Indian Muslim philosopher and social reformer who lived from 1817 to 1898 CE. He played a significant role in the educational and social reform movements in British India and was a prominent advocate for Muslim education.

In the realm of literature, one of the most renowned authors with the surname Kahn was Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptian writer who was born in 1911 and died in 2006. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988 for his novels and short stories that explored the complexities of modern Egyptian society.

While the surname Kahn has its roots in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East, it has since spread globally and can be found in various communities around the world. The name continues to carry a sense of nobility and leadership, reflecting its historical origins and the legacy of the Mongol and Persian rulers who first bore this title.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kahn

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

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

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

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