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

Kuhns, 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 Kuhns surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kuhns in America

Kuhns is the 4979th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kuhns surname appeared 7,055 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 Kuhns.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kuhns 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 Kuhns

The surname KUHNS originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the German word "Kuhn," which means "cow" or "herdsman," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname were likely involved in cattle herding or related agricultural occupations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KUHNS surname can be found in the town of Kuhndorf, located in the German state of Bavaria. The name is believed to have originated in this region, where it was initially spelled as "Kuhn" or "Kühn."

In the late 16th century, the KUHNS surname appeared in various German church records and local tax registers, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in various parts of Germany. One notable individual from this period was Hans Kuhns, a farmer who lived in the village of Riedlingen in the late 1500s.

As German immigrants began to settle in other parts of Europe and the Americas, the KUHNS surname spread to new regions. In the 17th and 18th centuries, families with this surname can be found in areas such as Pennsylvania, where German immigrants established communities.

One notable figure in American history with the KUHNS surname was John Kuhns (1715-1782), a German-American farmer and pioneer who settled in Pennsylvania and played a role in the American Revolutionary War. Another individual of note was Isaac Kuhns (1787-1860), a Pennsylvania-born farmer and public figure who served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

In the 19th century, the KUHNS surname continued to appear in various records and documents across different regions. For example, Charles Kuhns (1822-1904) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Kansas.

Another notable figure was Mary Kuhns (1853-1940), an American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights and was involved in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.

As the surname spread and evolved, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Kuhn," "Kühn," and "Kuehn." However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its German heritage, reflecting the agricultural and pastoral roots of its earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kuhns

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

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

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

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