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

Korn, 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 Korn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Korn in America

Korn is the 6278th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Korn surname appeared 5,442 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Korn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Korn 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 Korn

The surname Korn is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "korn" meaning "grain" or "corn." This suggests that the name likely originated from an area known for its agricultural production or from an occupation related to the grain trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Korn can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. In the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a medieval document from Brandenburg, the name "Henricus Korn" is mentioned in 1292. Similarly, the name "Johannes Korn" appears in a record from Saxony in 1311.

During the late Middle Ages and Early Modern period, the Korn surname was prevalent in various German territories, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Silesia. It was often associated with landowners, farmers, and merchants involved in the grain trade.

One notable historical figure with the surname Korn was Johann Korn (1487-1542), a Lutheran theologian and reformer from Lich, Hesse. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and played a significant role in the spread of Lutheran teachings in central Germany.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of German immigrants to North America. For instance, Johannes Korn, born in 1635 in Ebersbach, Germany, arrived in Pennsylvania in 1709 and was among the earliest settlers of Germantown.

Another historical figure of note was Friedrich Korn (1828-1904), a German industrialist and inventor from Karlsruhe. He is credited with developing the first successful dry-cleaning machine, revolutionizing the textile industry.

The surname Korn has also been associated with several notable academics and intellectuals throughout history. One example is Alexis Korn (1804-1847), a French mathematician and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of elasticity theory.

In the realm of art, the name Korn is represented by the German painter and printmaker Franz Korn (1865-1926), known for his landscapes and cityscapes depicting life in Munich and other Bavarian cities.

While the surname Korn is more common in Germany and among German-speaking populations, it has also been found in other European countries, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Korn

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

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

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

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