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

Kurn, 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 Kurn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kurn in America

Kurn is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kurn surname appeared 122 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 Kurn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kurn 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 Kurn

The surname Kurn is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kurnen," which means "to grumble" or "to complain." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone known for their grumbling or complaining nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kurn can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, from the year 1568. These records mention a certain Hans Kurn, a local tradesman. Another early reference is found in the baptismal records of St. Peter's Church in Cologne, where a child named Jakob Kurn was baptized in 1592.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring regions such as Switzerland and Austria. A notable bearer of the name during this time was Johann Kurn (1628-1691), a respected theologian and professor at the University of Heidelberg.

As the name Kurn spread across Europe, it took on various spellings, including Kürn, Kuhrn, and Kuhrne. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional pronunciation differences. For instance, in the town of Kurnach, located in what is now Bavaria, the name was commonly spelled as "Kurnach" or "Kürnach."

One of the most famous individuals to bear the surname Kurn was the German painter Johann Baptist Kurn (1705-1789). He was renowned for his religious and mythological paintings, many of which can still be seen in churches and museums throughout Germany and Austria.

Other notable figures with the surname Kurn include:

1. Wilhelm Kurn (1820-1892), a German politician and member of the Reichstag.
2. Anna Kurn (1854-1932), an Austrian opera singer and vocal teacher.
3. Ernst Kurn (1875-1946), a Swiss architect known for his work in Zurich.
4. Helene Kurn (1890-1972), a German actress and film director during the silent era.
5. Otto Kurn (1912-1998), a German-American mathematician and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

While the surname Kurn may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and origins in Germany and Central Europe serve as a testament to the diversity of surnames and the fascinating stories they can reveal about our ancestors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kurn

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

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

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

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