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

Sorn, 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 Sorn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sorn in America

Sorn is the 43369th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sorn surname appeared 498 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 Sorn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sorn 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 Sorn

The surname Sorn is of German origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the village of Sorn, located in the Rhineland region of western Germany. The name may have derived from an older Germanic word "sorn," meaning "muddy" or "marshy," potentially referring to the geographical features of the area where the name first arose.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sorn can be found in the Wurttembergisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the region of Württemberg, dated to the year 1389. This document mentions a certain "Heinrich Sorn," suggesting the name's existence and usage at that time.

During the 16th century, the Sorn surname appears in various church records and municipal registers across several German states, such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Brandenburg. This indicates the gradual spread and establishment of the name across different regions.

In the 17th century, the name Sorn gained prominence through the achievements of Johann Sorn (1578-1647), a renowned German theologian and philosopher. He served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and played a significant role in the intellectual discourse of his time.

Another notable individual with the Sorn surname was Friedrich Sorn (1720-1786), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque era. He is best known for his contributions to sacred music and his compositions for the organ.

The 19th century saw the Sorn name spread further across Europe and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields. One such person was Karl Sorn (1822-1899), a German-American architect who immigrated to the United States and designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Appellate Division Courthouse.

In the realm of literature, the German writer and poet Theodor Sorn (1834-1912) gained recognition for his works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life. His collection of poems, "Waldlieder" (Forest Songs), published in 1871, was particularly well-received.

As the surname Sorn continued to spread and evolve, it also gave rise to variant spellings and place names. For instance, the town of Sornhausen in Thuringia, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from the Sorn surname, reflecting the settlement patterns of families bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sorn

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

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

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

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