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

Karns, 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 Karns surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karns in America

Karns is the 8003rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karns surname appeared 4,133 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 Karns.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karns 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 Karns

The surname Karns has its origins in the Rhineland region of Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Karn," which means "edge" or "ridge," possibly referring to someone who lived near a prominent geographic feature or settled in a hilly area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karns can be found in the town records of Essen, dated 1578, where a certain Johann Karns is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many individuals bearing the Karns surname migrated from Germany to other parts of Europe and North America, seeking better opportunities or fleeing religious persecution. One notable example is Hans Karns, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1732 as part of the German Protestant migration to the British colonies.

In the United States, the Karns family played a significant role in the westward expansion and settlement of the frontier. Jacob Karns, born in 1789 in Virginia, was a renowned frontiersman and explorer who led expeditions into the Rocky Mountains and the Oregon Territory. His exploits were documented in various journals and historical accounts of the time.

Another prominent figure was Mary Karns, born in 1822 in Ohio, who became a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and was actively involved in the suffrage movement, campaigning for women's right to vote.

The name Karns has also been associated with several notable military figures throughout history. Captain John Karns, born in 1820 in Pennsylvania, served with distinction in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg.

In the 20th century, one of the most recognizable names associated with the Karns surname was Ernest Karns, born in 1892 in Missouri. He was a pioneering aviator and aircraft designer, known for his contributions to the development of early passenger planes and his work with the U.S. Air Force during World War II.

While the Karns name has evolved and spread across various regions and cultures, its roots can be traced back to the Germanic regions of Central Europe, where it emerged as a distinct surname several centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karns

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

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

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

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