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

Karen, 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 Karen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karen in America

Karen is the 36695th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karen surname appeared 609 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 Karen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karen 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 Karen

The surname "Karen" has its origins in the Middle English period, derived from the Old Norse name "Katrin" or "Katrine." This name ultimately traces its roots back to the Greek name "Aikaterine," meaning "pure" or "unblemished." The earliest known record of the surname "Karen" dates back to the 13th century in England.

In the late 11th century, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded several variations of the name, such as "Katerina" and "Katrina." These entries suggest that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population before the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "Karen" was John Karen, a landowner from Norfolk, England, who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Margaret Karen, a wealthy merchant from York, who was mentioned in local records from the early 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname "Karen" began to spread throughout the British Isles, with several variations emerging, such as "Karren," "Karrin," and "Karin." One prominent individual from this period was Sir Thomas Karren, a successful merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, born in 1585.

As the British Empire expanded, the surname "Karen" traveled to various parts of the world. In the late 18th century, James Karen, a Scottish explorer and naturalist, made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the West Indies. He was born in 1742 in Glasgow.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Karen, a pioneering educator and social reformer from Ireland, born in 1825. She established several schools for underprivileged children and campaigned for women's rights and education.

In the 19th century, the surname "Karen" found its way to the United States, where it continued to evolve with various spellings, such as "Karren" and "Careen." One prominent American with this surname was Samuel Karren, a Civil War veteran and politician from Ohio, who served as a state senator in the late 1800s.

Throughout its long history, the surname "Karen" has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural and social influences that have shaped its evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karen

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

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

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

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