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

Klahn, 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 Klahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Klahn in America

Klahn is the 26362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Klahn surname appeared 926 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 Klahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Klahn 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 Klahn

The surname KLAHN is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Saxony and Silesia, where it was initially spelled as "Klahn" or "Klahne."

The name KLAHN is derived from the Low German word "klân," which means "small" or "short." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a short stature or a small physical appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KLAHN can be found in the Ratzeburger Zinsregister, a medieval tax registry from the Bishopric of Ratzeburg, dated around 1350. The entry lists a "Claus Klahne" as a landowner in the region.

In the 16th century, the name KLAHN appeared in various church records and municipal documents across northern Germany. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Hans Klahn (c. 1510-1585), a merchant and alderman in the city of Lübeck.

As the KLAHN family spread across Germany and Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Klahne," "Klahen," and "Klahns." One noteworthy figure was Johann Klahn (1615-1678), a German jurist and author who wrote extensively on legal matters.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the KLAHN name gained prominence in the regions of Pomerania and Mecklenburg. Johann Friedrich Klahn (1759-1827) was a respected Lutheran pastor and theologian from Mecklenburg, while Carl Friedrich Klahn (1804-1889) was a renowned educator and school administrator in Pomerania.

Another notable individual was Gustav Klahn (1824-1888), a German-American engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early railroad technology in the United States.

As the KLAHN family continued to disperse across Europe and beyond, the name became associated with various professions and achievements. Ernst Klahn (1871-1945) was a German architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Berlin, while Rudolf Klahn (1900-1980) was a respected German author and playwright.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Klahn

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

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

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

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