2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kaighin
Of Celtic origin referring to a place name in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Kaighin. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kaighin 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Kaighin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaighin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kaighin
The surname Kaighin is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lancashire. It dates back to the 12th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English words "caeg" and "hinna," which together mean "the young male deer or fawn."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1177, where it is spelled "Cagehyn." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was agile or swift like a young deer.
During the 13th century, the name began to be used as a surname, and various spellings emerged, such as "Cagheyn," "Cagehin," and "Kaighin." These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and the evolving nature of language over time.
In the 14th century, the name Kaighin is found in the Lancashire Inquests and Extents from 1310, indicating that individuals with this surname were landowners or held positions of authority in the region.
One notable person with the surname Kaighin was John Kaighin, born in 1625 in Lancashire. He was a prominent Quaker and a member of the Religious Society of Friends, actively participating in the religious and social movements of his time.
Another individual of historical significance was William Kaighin, born in 1678 in Preston, Lancashire. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the local community and support of education initiatives.
In the 18th century, the Kaighin family established roots in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
A notable figure from this period was Thomas Kaighin, born in 1742 in Yorkshire. He was a respected scholar and writer, publishing several works on literature and philosophy that gained recognition among his contemporaries.
Moving into the 19th century, the Kaighin surname continued to be associated with notable individuals, such as Robert Kaighin, born in 1815 in Lancashire. He was a successful industrialist and philanthropist, contributing to the economic and social development of the region.
Throughout its history, the surname Kaighin has maintained a strong connection to its English roots, with many families tracing their lineage back to the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kaighin
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaighin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kaighin 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 Kaighin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 113
- Two or more races5.8% · 7
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kaighin
Kaighin 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-11 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,166 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+13 bearers (+12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,223 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 20,166 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.0%) | Up 10,223 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 Kaighin 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 | #151,532 | #141,309 | 6.7% |
| Count | 108 | 121 | 12.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kaighin bearers went from 108 to 121 (+12.0% change). The surname moved up 10,223 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #141,309.
FAQ
Kaighin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kaighin?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Kaighin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Kaighin?
Kaighin ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Kaighin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kaighin.
Has Kaighin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kaighin went from 108 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 13 (+12.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Kaighin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaighin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.8%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Kaighin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kaighin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Two or More Races (5.8%), Black (0.8%). 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 Kaighin (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 Kaighin mean?
Of Celtic origin referring to a place name in Pembrokeshire, Wales. 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 Kaighin (0.04 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 common is the surname Kaighin?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Kaighin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.