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

Learn, 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 Learn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Learn in America

Learn is the 17072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Learn surname appeared 1,663 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 Learn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Learn 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 Learn

The surname "Learn" is an English occupational name derived from the Old English word "leornian" meaning "to learn." It was first used to refer to those who were students or teachers, indicating their profession or association with education.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century in the county of Norfolk, England. Specifically, a Roger le Lerner was mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for Norfolk in 1273. This spelling variation highlights the transition from the Old English word to its modern form.

During the medieval period, the Learn surname was found scattered across various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. This dispersion suggests that individuals with this occupational name likely traveled and settled in different areas.

One notable historical figure bearing the Learn surname was William Learn (1518-1588), a prominent English lawyer and member of the Inner Temple. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex and was involved in several high-profile legal cases during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Learn surname appeared in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, indicating that some individuals with this name had migrated to the American colonies. John Learn (1620-1678) was among the early settlers, arriving in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1642.

Another notable figure was Thomas Learn (1745-1823), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He rose to the rank of Captain and was involved in several significant naval battles against the French and Spanish fleets.

In the 19th century, the Learn surname gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Joseph Learn (1810-1887), an English poet and essayist. His works, which included collections of poems and critical essays, earned him recognition among his contemporaries.

Across the Atlantic, the Learn surname was also represented by individuals like Andrew Learn (1785-1864), a prominent businessman and landowner from Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in the development of the town of Lewisburg, which was named after his business partner, Lewis.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals with the Learn surname throughout history, reflecting the name's occupational origins and its global reach over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Learn

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

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

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

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