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

Kehn, 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 Kehn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kehn in America

Kehn is the 26339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kehn surname appeared 927 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 Kehn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kehn 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 Kehn

The surname KEHN is believed to have its origins in Germany, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Middle High German word "kehn" or "kehen," which means "to twist" or "to turn." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with an occupation, such as a turner or a weaver.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KEHN can be found in the Rothenburg Imperial City Records, which date back to the 15th century. These records mention a Johannes Kehn, who lived in the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany. Another early reference is found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Oberdreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, where a Hans Kehn was recorded in the late 16th century.

Over time, the surname KEHN has been subject to various spelling variations, including Kehn, Keen, Keehn, and Kahne. These variations can be attributed to regional dialects, phonetic translations, and scribal errors in historical records.

Notable individuals bearing the surname KEHN throughout history include:

1. Johannes Kehn (1435-1498), a German painter and woodcarver from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, known for his intricate altarpiece carvings in several churches across Bavaria.

2. Heinrich Kehn (1561-1632), a German Protestant theologian and author from Wittenberg, who wrote extensively on the doctrines of the Lutheran Church.

3. Maria Kehn (1687-1758), a German emigrant to Pennsylvania, who was among the earliest settlers in the Germantown area and a prominent member of the local Quaker community.

4. Friedrich Kehn (1792-1868), a German-American farmer and landowner in Missouri, who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the town of Kehnville, now known as Marthasville.

5. Wilhelm Kehn (1832-1903), a German-American architect and civil engineer, renowned for his design of several landmark buildings in St. Louis, Missouri, including the Old Courthouse and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

While the surname KEHN may have originated from a specific occupation or place, its bearers have made significant contributions across various fields, leaving their mark on the cultural and historical landscapes of both Europe and America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kehn

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

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

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

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