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

Rahn, 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 Rahn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rahn in America

Rahn is the 6054th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rahn surname appeared 5,668 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 Rahn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rahn 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 Rahn

The surname Rahn originates from Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Rahn", which means "boundary" or "border". This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals who lived near a border or territorial boundary.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Rahn surname can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus" (Diplomatic Code of Anhalt), a collection of historical documents from the medieval German state of Anhalt, dated around 1275. This document references a person named "Conradus de Rahn", suggesting the name's presence in the region during that time.

During the Middle Ages, the Rahn surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia in northwestern Germany. Several notable individuals bore this surname, including Hermann Rahn (1490-1551), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

In the 16th century, the Rahn surname also appeared in various records from the German city of Nuremberg. One prominent figure from this era was Georg Rahn (1520-1586), a renowned German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of logarithms.

As the name spread across Germany, it also took on various spellings and regional variations, such as Rhan, Rahne, and Rahnen. In the 18th century, Johann Rahn (1715-1776), a German composer and organist, gained recognition for his contributions to sacred music.

Another notable individual with the Rahn surname was Otto Rahn (1904-1939), a German writer, and medievalist who gained fame for his controversial theories about the origins of the Holy Grail and the Cathars. His work, "Crusade Against the Grail" (Kreuzzug gegen den Gral), published in 1933, sparked significant debate and speculation regarding the historical mysteries surrounding the Grail legend.

Throughout its history, the Rahn surname has been associated with various professions, including scholars, artisans, and landowners. While its precise origins remain somewhat uncertain, the name's connection to boundaries and borders has persisted, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of German history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rahn

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

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

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

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