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

Karn, 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 Karn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karn in America

Karn is the 12837th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karn surname appeared 2,398 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Karn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karn 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 Karn

The surname KARN is of German origin, derived from the word "Karnin," which means "dwelling at the small summit." The name first emerged in the 14th century in the region of Saxony, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KARN can be found in the Hersfeld Codex, a medieval manuscript dating back to 1370. This document mentions a certain "Henricus Karn," who was a landowner in the village of Karnitz.

During the 15th century, the KARN family began to spread throughout various parts of Germany, with branches establishing themselves in regions such as Bavaria and Silesia. Historical records from this period include mentions of Johannes Karn (1412-1487), a respected scholar and theologian from Nuremberg.

As the Renaissance era dawned, the KARN surname gained further prominence. Notable figures included Matthäus Karn (1522-1592), a renowned artist and woodcarver from Augsburg, whose works adorned several churches and cathedrals across southern Germany.

In the 17th century, the KARN family produced several influential figures. One such individual was Christoph Karn (1635-1703), a celebrated composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Johann Karn (1718-1779), a highly regarded jurist and legal scholar from Frankfurt. His treatises on civil law and judicial proceedings were widely studied and cited throughout the German states.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, the KARN surname became associated with various industries and trades. One prominent figure was Karl Karn (1841-1912), a successful industrialist and engineer from Cologne, whose innovations in steam engine design revolutionized factory production.

Throughout its long history, the KARN surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Germany and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karn

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

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

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

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