NameCensus.

UK surname

Kain

A variant of the Scottish and Irish surname "Kane," derived from the Celtic word for "warrior" or "battler."

In the 1881 census there were 602 people recorded with the Kain surname, ranking it #5,818 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 587, ranked #8,864, down from #5,818 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Tunbridge Wells and Southampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kain is 634 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

602

Ranked #5,818

Modern count

587

2016, ranked #8,864

Peak year

1901

634 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kain had 602 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,818 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016, ranked #8,864.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 634 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kain surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kain surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kain over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 464 #5,343
1861 historical 404 #6,354
1881 historical 602 #5,818
1891 historical 539 #6,986
1901 historical 634 #6,768
1911 historical 476 #8,124
1997 modern 599 #8,153
1998 modern 616 #8,240
1999 modern 618 #8,282
2000 modern 615 #8,287
2001 modern 597 #8,321
2002 modern 609 #8,368
2003 modern 574 #8,581
2004 modern 575 #8,584
2005 modern 570 #8,582
2006 modern 578 #8,521
2007 modern 566 #8,713
2008 modern 574 #8,690
2009 modern 592 #8,681
2010 modern 597 #8,814
2011 modern 586 #8,854
2012 modern 593 #8,688
2013 modern 605 #8,691
2014 modern 590 #8,922
2015 modern 578 #8,972
2016 modern 587 #8,864

Geography

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Where Kains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Tunbridge Wells, Southampton, Gateshead and Kettering. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 016 Chelmsford
2 Tunbridge Wells 013 Tunbridge Wells
3 Southampton 032 Southampton
4 Gateshead 017 Gateshead
5 Kettering 002 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kain

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kain surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kain

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kain, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Kain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kain is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kain is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kain falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kain is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kain, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kain

The surname Kain has its origins in Germany, with early records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Germanic word "kahan," which means "to grumble" or "to complain." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname given to someone with a grumbling or discontented nature.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kain can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Kayn, Kayne, and Kaine, reflecting the variations in regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Kain was Konrad Kain, a prominent merchant and businessman in the city of Augsburg, Germany. His successful trading ventures and involvement in local affairs earned him a respected reputation among his contemporaries.

The Kain surname also has ties to certain place names in Germany, such as Kainbach, a town located in the state of Bavaria. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their association with this or similar locations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kain in England can be traced back to the 16th century, when a man named William Kain was listed in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1587.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Kain, including:

1. Johann Kain (1760-1831), an Austrian painter known for his landscape and genre paintings. 2. Heinrich Kain (1808-1868), a German mathematician and professor at the University of Giessen. 3. Johann Kain (1856-1910), an Austrian chess player and author of several chess books. 4. Otto Kain (1881-1942), a German actor and film director active during the silent film era. 5. Richard Kain (1909-1992), an American actor and screenwriter who worked in Hollywood during the mid-20th century.

While the surname Kain may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and countries, reflecting the diverse origins and experiences of those who have carried this name throughout generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kain surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 112 Kains recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.61x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 112 1.61x
Middlesex 92 1.57x
Lanarkshire 68 3.59x
Warwickshire 53 3.58x
Essex 25 2.16x
Yorkshire 23 0.40x
Stirlingshire 22 10.17x
Wigtownshire 20 25.69x
Surrey 19 0.67x
Ayrshire 18 4.10x
Staffordshire 16 0.81x
Cheshire 12 0.93x
Angus 8 1.47x
Argyllshire 8 4.90x
Cardiganshire 8 5.59x
Leicestershire 8 1.23x
Northumberland 8 0.92x
Derbyshire 7 0.76x
Devon 6 0.49x
Midlothian 6 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.76x
Durham 5 0.29x
Flintshire 5 3.17x
Renfrewshire 5 1.10x
Suffolk 5 0.70x
Shropshire 4 0.79x
Dumfriesshire 3 2.32x
Glamorgan 3 0.29x
Kent 3 0.15x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 3.53x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.54x
Cornwall 2 0.30x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Perthshire 2 0.76x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Buteshire 1 2.82x
East Lothian 1 1.29x
Fife 1 0.29x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Kincardineshire 1 1.40x
Somerset 1 0.11x
West Lothian 1 1.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 45 Kains recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.13x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 45 9.13x
Barony 23 4.79x
West Ham 23 9.00x
Govan 19 4.05x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 13.57x
Hulme 13 8.95x
Islington London 12 2.11x
Manchester 12 3.84x
Hackney London 11 3.35x
Stirling 11 40.35x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.93x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 18.10x
Campsie 10 84.25x
Leswalt 10 187.62x
Liverpool 10 2.37x
Gorton 9 13.76x
Limehouse London 9 13.98x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 5.26x
Aston 8 1.97x
Coylton 8 128.41x
Leicester St Margaret 8 5.05x
Vainor Lower 8 661.16x
Blantyre 7 35.46x
Cheadle 7 28.32x
Dunoon 7 208.33x
Eckington 7 31.39x
Glasgow 7 2.08x
Kirkmaiden 7 141.99x
Maryhill 7 18.86x
Poplar London 7 6.33x
Sheffield 7 3.78x
Bermondsey 6 3.44x
Bilston 6 15.65x
Clerkenwell London 6 4.34x
Dalry 6 29.06x
Dundee 6 2.96x
Lambeth 6 1.17x
Moss Side 6 16.39x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.94x
Ratcliffe London 6 18.53x
St Mary Le Strand London 6 280.37x
York St Cuthbert 6 112.78x
Croydon 5 3.15x
Harborne 5 7.88x
Ipswich St Nicholas 5 127.23x
Mold 5 34.99x
St George In East London 5 9.07x
West Derby 5 2.46x
Westgate 5 9.26x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 20.01x
Middlesbrough 4 5.29x
St Marylebone London 4 1.28x
Toxteth Park 4 1.70x
Tranmere 4 8.41x
Woodbury 4 110.50x
Cardiff St Mary 3 5.34x
Dumfries 3 23.47x
Edmonton 3 6.35x
Little Bolton 3 3.35x
Minnigaff 3 94.04x
Newport 3 49.10x
Newton In Makerfield 3 14.08x
Paisley Low Church 3 20.86x
St Luke London 3 3.19x
Stoke Newington London 3 6.57x
York Holy Trinity 3 59.76x
Ardwick 2 3.19x
Bothwell 2 3.89x
Bowling 2 3.48x
Carmunnock 2 137.93x
Charlton 2 15.05x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 2 26.92x
Longbenton 2 5.41x
Middle Greenock 2 16.13x
Newton On Ayr 2 15.22x
Perth Middle Church 2 20.20x
Portsea 2 0.85x
West Bromwich 2 1.77x
Windle 2 5.11x
Wisbech St Peter 2 10.74x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kain surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 12
Catherine 11
Ellen 11
Margaret 8
Ann 7
Emma 7
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Julia 6
Jane 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Agnes 3
Bridget 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Norah 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Eugene 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Maude 2
Minnie 2
Bertha 1
Bridges 1
Bridgett 1
Dinah 1
Eliz. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Irene 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kain surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 31
Thomas 16
William 15
James 14
Henry 11
George 10
Edward 8
Patrick 8
Charles 7
Michael 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Alfred 4
Robert 4
Daniel 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Anthy. 2
Bernard 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Lawrence 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Austin 1
Bartholomew 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Cornelius 1
Dan 1
Darby 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Mark 1
Martha 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Pat 1
Richard 1
Rodger 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Kain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 602 people were recorded with the Kain surname. That placed it at #5,818 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016. That gives Kain a modern rank of #8,864.

What does the Kain surname mean?

A variant of the Scottish and Irish surname "Kane," derived from the Celtic word for "warrior" or "battler."

What does the Kain map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kain bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.