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

Kassahun, 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 Kassahun surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kassahun in America

Kassahun is the 84463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kassahun surname appeared 222 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 Kassahun.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kassahun 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 Kassahun

The surname KASSAHUN originates from Ethiopia and is believed to have its roots in the Amharic language, one of the Semitic languages spoken in the country. The name is thought to be derived from the Amharic word "kassahun," which means "priest" or "clergyman."

In ancient times, surnames in Ethiopia were often derived from professions, lineages, or personal characteristics. The name KASSAHUN likely originated among families or individuals who had a connection to the clergy or religious institutions in the region.

The earliest recorded instances of the name KASSAHUN can be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries, during the era of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. It is possible that the name was associated with prominent religious figures or families associated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which played a significant role in the country's history.

One notable historical reference to the name KASSAHUN is found in the writings of James Bruce, a Scottish traveler and explorer who visited Ethiopia in the late 18th century. In his accounts, he mentioned encountering individuals with the surname KASSAHUN during his travels in the region.

Some historical figures who bore the surname KASSAHUN include:

1. Abba Kassahun (c. 1700s), a renowned Ethiopian monk and spiritual leader.
2. Ras Kassahun Gebre (1856-1921), an Ethiopian military leader and governor during the reign of Emperor Menelik II.
3. Taye Kassahun (1895-1978), an Ethiopian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1940s.
4. Getatchew Kassahun (1920-1998), an influential Ethiopian writer and playwright known for his contributions to Amharic literature.
5. Alemayehu Kassahun (born 1960), an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competed in the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games.

While the surname KASSAHUN is primarily associated with Ethiopia, it is possible that variations or similar spellings may have emerged in other regions where Amharic or related languages are spoken, such as Eritrea or parts of the Middle East.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kassahun

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

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

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

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