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

Krahn, 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 Krahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Krahn in America

Krahn is the 11478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Krahn surname appeared 2,741 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 Krahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Krahn 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 Krahn

The surname Krahn is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the region of Rhineland, where it was derived from the German word "Kran," meaning "crane." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who lived near a place frequented by cranes or someone who worked with the birds in some capacity.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various historical records, often spelled as "Krane" or "Kranen." One of the earliest documented instances can be found in the Heidelberg Ministerial Records of 1279, where a certain "Henrich Kranen" is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Kirchheim.

The name gained prominence during the late medieval period, particularly in the regions of Saxony and Bavaria. In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Johann Krahn (1420-1487) was a respected scholar and theologian at the University of Leipzig, known for his contributions to the study of canon law.

As the surname spread across Germany, it underwent several spelling variations, including "Kraan," "Krahn," and "Kraan." In the 16th century, the Krahn family produced a notable member, Hans Krahn (1535-1615), a master glassblower from the city of Nuremberg whose innovative techniques helped advance the art of glassmaking.

Another significant figure bearing the Krahn surname was Johann Friedrich Krahn (1675-1741), a German architect and military engineer who worked extensively in the service of the Prussian King Frederick William I. He is credited with designing several fortifications and military installations throughout the kingdom.

During the 19th century, the Krahn family made its mark in the world of music. Carl Krahn (1803-1879) was a celebrated composer and conductor from Hamburg, renowned for his operas and choral works. His nephew, Ernst Krahn (1859-1927), followed in his footsteps and achieved recognition as a talented violinist and composer.

As the Krahn surname spread beyond Germany, it also found its way into other European countries, including the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where it was sometimes spelled as "Kraan" or "Kran." Despite its geographical dispersion, the name has retained its distinct German roots and continues to be associated with its rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Krahn

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

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

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

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