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

Kern, 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 Kern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kern in America

Kern is the 1237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kern surname appeared 28,547 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Kern.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kern 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 Kern

The surname Kern originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "kern," meaning "seed" or "kernel." It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname for those who worked with grains or seeds, such as millers or farmers.

In the 13th century, the name Kern was found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. It appeared in medieval records like the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, which documented land transactions and legal agreements.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Kern, a merchant from Nuremberg, who lived in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Johannes Kern, a Franciscan friar and theologian born in Memmingen, Bavaria, in 1427.

The Kern surname also had variations in spelling, such as Kerne, Kehrn, and Kehrne, which were common in different regions of Germany. Some of these variations may have derived from place names like Kernbach or Kernhofen.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Leonhard Kern (1588-1663), a German painter and engraver from Bamberg. Another notable bearer was Johann Conrad Kern (1765-1826), a German composer and organist from Lauterbach.

As the German diaspora spread across Europe and beyond, the Kern surname travelled with them. In the 19th century, Johann Kern (1808-1888), a German-born Brazilian landowner and entrepreneur, played a significant role in the development of São Paulo.

Other notable individuals with the Kern surname include Jerome Kern (1885-1945), an American composer of musical theater and popular music; and Jacques Kern (1937-2007), a French journalist and writer who covered conflicts in various parts of the world.

The Kern surname has a rich history rooted in Germany, spanning centuries and reflecting the diverse occupations and achievements of its bearers across various fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kern

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

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

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

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