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

Kerlin, 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 Kerlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kerlin in America

Kerlin is the 13283rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kerlin surname appeared 2,296 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 Kerlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kerlin 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 Kerlin

The surname Kerlin is of Scottish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 16th century. It is a derivative of the Old English word "cyrnel," which means "kernel" or "grain." The name likely referred to someone who worked with grain or was associated with the cultivation of crops.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Kerlin dates back to the late 16th century in Scotland. In 1592, a record mentions a John Kerlin, who was a landowner in the county of Ayrshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time.

In the 17th century, the Kerlin surname appeared in various Scottish records, including parish registers and court documents. One notable figure from this era was William Kerlin, born in 1620, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Linlithgow.

As the Kerlin family spread across Scotland and beyond, variations in spelling became common. Some of the alternative spellings included Kerling, Kerline, and Kerlan. These variations likely arose from differences in local dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time.

In the 18th century, the Kerlin name gained prominence in the Scottish Highlands. One notable individual was Angus Kerlin, born in 1745, who was a respected clan chief and played a significant role in the Jacobite Risings.

As the centuries progressed, members of the Kerlin family migrated to various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One prominent individual was James Kerlin, born in 1825 in Glasgow, who was a successful businessman and philanthropist in Philadelphia, United States.

Other notable individuals with the Kerlin surname include:

1. Robert Kerlin (1882-1963), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the Bootle constituency.
2. Elizabeth Kerlin (1891-1976), an American educator and advocate for women's rights.
3. Thomas Kerlin (1927-2003), a Canadian artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings.
4. Margaret Kerlin (1901-1985), an Australian author and novelist, best known for her historical fiction set in colonial Australia.
5. John Kerlin (1942-2021), a Scottish actor and theater director, known for his work on the Edinburgh stage.

The Kerlin surname has a rich history, rooted in the agricultural traditions of Scotland and evolving over centuries to become a name associated with various professions and achievements across different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kerlin

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

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

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

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