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

Kanner, 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 Kanner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kanner in America

Kanner is the 26243rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kanner surname appeared 931 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 Kanner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kanner 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 Kanner

The surname Kanner is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "kanne," meaning "jug" or "pitcher." It is believed to have originated in the 14th century, possibly referring to an occupation or trade involving the production or sale of jugs or pitchers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kanner surname can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, in the 15th century. In 1472, a certain Johannes Kanner was mentioned as a resident of the city, suggesting that the name was already established by that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Kanner surname appeared in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It was also found in parts of Switzerland, likely due to the migration of German-speaking individuals across borders.

In the late 18th century, a notable bearer of the Kanner surname was Johann Kanner, a German philosopher and writer born in 1756 in Tübingen, Württemberg. He was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy.

Another prominent figure with the Kanner surname was Leo Kanner, an Austrian-American psychiatrist born in 1894. He was the first to describe and characterize autism as a distinct disorder, coining the term "early infantile autism" in 1943. Kanner's work laid the foundation for the modern understanding and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.

In the 19th century, the Kanner surname began to spread beyond the German-speaking regions, as individuals with this name immigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. For example, in 1865, a man named Johann Kanner was recorded as arriving in the United States from Germany.

Another notable bearer of the Kanner surname was Otto Kanner, a German-American architect born in 1898 in Berlin. He played a significant role in the development of modern architecture in Los Angeles, California, where he designed several iconic buildings, including the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

While the Kanner surname is relatively uncommon, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, from scholars and writers to medical professionals and architects. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Germany, where it likely originated as an occupational name related to the production or trade of jugs and pitchers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kanner

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

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

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

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