2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kuhman
An occupational German surname meaning "cowherd" or "cattle driver".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Kuhman. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kuhman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Kuhman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuhman, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kuhman
The surname Kuhman originated in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "kühe," meaning "cows," and "mann," meaning "man," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a cowherd or cattle farmer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kuhman can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, the name is spelled as "Kuemann" and "Kuheman," indicating the variation in spelling that was common during that time.
In the 15th century, a German nobleman named Johann Kuhman (c. 1420-1489) was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Nuremberg for his role in the local politics and governance of the region. He was a prominent figure in the city's council and played a significant role in the negotiations with neighboring territories.
During the 16th century, the Kuhman family was well-established in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in Bavaria. Historical records from this period mention several members of the family, including Hans Kuhman (c. 1530-1602), a master craftsman who specialized in woodcarving and furniture-making.
In the 17th century, the name Kuhman appeared in various church records and marriage registers across different regions of Germany, indicating the widespread presence of the family. One notable individual was Friedrich Kuhman (1635-1689), a Lutheran theologian and author who wrote several influential works on religious doctrine.
Another noteworthy figure was Johann Georg Kuhman (1720-1786), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at several courts in Germany. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded during his lifetime and contributed to the development of the German Baroque musical tradition.
As the surname Kuhman continued to spread across different regions of Germany, it also appeared in other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with a strong German influence or migration. Over the centuries, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, artisans, scholars, and musicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and professions of those who bore this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kuhman
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuhman, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kuhman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kuhman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.0% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kuhman
Kuhman appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+6 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,429 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-28 bearers (-22.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 22,957 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 3,429 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -28 bearers (-22.0%) | Down 22,957 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kuhman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #133,048 | #156,005 | -17.3% |
| Count | 127 | 99 | -22.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kuhman bearers went from 127 to 99 (-22.0% change). The surname moved down 22,957 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #156,005.
FAQ
Kuhman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kuhman?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Kuhman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Kuhman?
Kuhman ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 99 people with the surname Kuhman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kuhman.
Has Kuhman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kuhman went from 127 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 28 (-22.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Kuhman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kuhman, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kuhman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kuhman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.0%), Hispanic (2.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kuhman (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kuhman mean?
An occupational German surname meaning "cowherd" or "cattle driver". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kuhman (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Kuhman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.