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

Kernizan, 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 Kernizan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kernizan in America

Kernizan is the 93921st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kernizan surname appeared 195 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 Kernizan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kernizan 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 Kernizan

The surname Kernizan has its roots in Brittany, a cultural region in the northwest of France. It emerged during the medieval period, likely around the 11th or 12th century. The name is believed to derive from the Breton words "kern," meaning "battle or contest," and "izan," meaning "plain or field." This suggests that the original bearers of this surname may have been associated with battles or conflicts that took place in open fields or plains.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kernizan can be found in the "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Redon," a collection of medieval charters from the Abbey of Redon in Brittany, dating back to the 11th century. The name appeared in various forms, such as "Kernizan," "Kernisan," and "Kernisan," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time.

In the 13th century, the name Kernizan was mentioned in the "Livre des Vassaux du Comté de Bretagne," a register of vassals of the County of Brittany. This document provides evidence of the surname's presence and suggests that members of the Kernizan family held land or positions of importance within the region.

One notable figure bearing the surname Kernizan was Hervé Kernizan (c. 1285-1352), a Breton knight who fought in the Breton War of Succession and was a loyal supporter of the House of Montfort. His exploits were recorded in chronicles of the time, cementing his place in the history of Brittany.

Another distinguished individual with this surname was Yvon Kernizan (c. 1420-1488), a Breton nobleman who served as a councilor to the Duke of Brittany, Francis II. Yvon was known for his diplomatic skills and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties between Brittany and neighboring regions.

In the 16th century, the Kernizan family established themselves in the town of Guingamp, located in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany. Records from this period mention Jean Kernizan (c. 1510-1578), a prominent merchant and landowner in the area.

Over the centuries, variations of the name emerged, such as "Kernisan," "Kernizen," and "Kernisan," reflecting regional dialects and linguistic evolutions. The name Kernizan has also been associated with several place names in Brittany, further solidifying its connection to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kernizan

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

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

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

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