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

Kananen, 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 Kananen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kananen in America

Kananen is the 98099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kananen surname appeared 185 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 Kananen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kananen 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 Kananen

The surname Kananen is of Finnish origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Finnish word "kananen," which means "little grouse" or "young chicken." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone's occupation or location associated with these birds.

In Finland, surnames were relatively late to become established, with most people using patronymics (names derived from the father's given name) until the late 19th century. Kananen was likely one of the earliest hereditary surnames adopted in certain regions of Finland, particularly in areas with a strong poultry or game bird industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kananen can be found in the Finnish church records from the 16th and 17th centuries. These records were essential for tracking births, marriages, and deaths in local parishes, and they often provide valuable insights into the origins and distribution of surnames.

Notable individuals with the surname Kananen throughout history include:

1. Pehr Kananen (1713-1789), a Finnish farmer and landowner who played a significant role in the local community of Karstula during the 18th century.

2. Kaisa Kananen (1832-1912), a renowned Finnish folk artist known for her intricate wood carvings and tapestries depicting scenes from rural life.

3. Väinö Kananen (1879-1944), a Finnish politician and member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Social Democratic Party in the early 20th century.

4. Aino Kananen (1899-1981), a influential Finnish educator and advocate for women's rights, who helped establish several schools and educational programs in rural areas.

5. Lauri Kananen (1920-2002), a Finnish author and playwright whose works explored the themes of identity, family, and the struggles of rural life in Finland during the 20th century.

While the name Kananen is widely distributed across Finland, it is also found in other parts of the world due to Finnish emigration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and earliest recorded use can be traced back to the Finnish language and the country's cultural traditions surrounding poultry and game birds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kananen

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

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

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

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