NameCensus.

UK surname

Karn

Derived from the Old Norse byname Kárr, meaning "curly-haired" or "obstinate, unyielding."

In the 1881 census there were 158 people recorded with the Karn surname, ranking it #14,989 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #14,989 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Charlton Kings, London parishes and Faversham, Ospring Liberty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Richmondshire and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Karn is 227 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.2%.

1881 census count

158

Ranked #14,989

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1911

227 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Karn had 158 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,989 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Karn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Karn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Karn 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 158 #14,989
1891 historical 180 #16,143
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 227 #13,795
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 179 #19,372
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 159 #21,007
2005 modern 155 #21,318
2006 modern 152 #21,721
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Karns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Charlton Kings, London parishes, Faversham, Ospring Liberty, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Witley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Richmondshire, Chichester, Oxford and Swindon. 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 Charlton Kings Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Faversham, Ospring Liberty Kent
4 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey
5 Witley Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire
2 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire
3 Chichester 013 Chichester
4 Oxford 008 Oxford
5 Swindon 009 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Karn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Karn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Karn, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Karn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Karn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Karn is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Karn is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Karn falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Karn 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 Karn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Karn

The surname KARN is of German origin, derived from the word "Karnin," which means "dwelling at the small summit." The name first emerged in the 14th century in the region of Saxony, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KARN can be found in the Hersfeld Codex, a medieval manuscript dating back to 1370. This document mentions a certain "Henricus Karn," who was a landowner in the village of Karnitz.

During the 15th century, the KARN family began to spread throughout various parts of Germany, with branches establishing themselves in regions such as Bavaria and Silesia. Historical records from this period include mentions of Johannes Karn (1412-1487), a respected scholar and theologian from Nuremberg.

As the Renaissance era dawned, the KARN surname gained further prominence. Notable figures included Matthäus Karn (1522-1592), a renowned artist and woodcarver from Augsburg, whose works adorned several churches and cathedrals across southern Germany.

In the 17th century, the KARN family produced several influential figures. One such individual was Christoph Karn (1635-1703), a celebrated composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Johann Karn (1718-1779), a highly regarded jurist and legal scholar from Frankfurt. His treatises on civil law and judicial proceedings were widely studied and cited throughout the German states.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, the KARN surname became associated with various industries and trades. One prominent figure was Karl Karn (1841-1912), a successful industrialist and engineer from Cologne, whose innovations in steam engine design revolutionized factory production.

Throughout its long history, the KARN surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Germany and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Karn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Karn 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. Surrey leads with 78 Karns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.39x.

County Total Index
Surrey 78 10.39x
Gloucestershire 24 7.94x
Middlesex 16 1.04x
Hampshire 15 4.75x
Sussex 11 4.23x
Kent 6 1.14x
Glamorgan 2 0.75x
Warwickshire 2 0.51x
Derbyshire 1 0.41x
Devon 1 0.31x
Herefordshire 1 1.58x
Monmouthshire 1 0.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnham in Surrey leads with 14 Karns recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.73x.

Place Total Index
Farnham 14 239.73x
Camberwell 10 10.16x
Cheltenham 10 42.88x
Thursley 10 1851.85x
Clapham 9 46.70x
Frensham 9 818.18x
Hackney London 9 10.42x
Trotton 9 4285.71x
Aldershot 6 56.71x
Faversham 6 119.76x
Leatherhead 6 319.15x
Charlton Kings 5 239.23x
Petersfield 5 574.71x
Witley 5 943.40x
Chiddingfold 4 571.43x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 4 353.98x
Lambeth 4 2.98x
Brighton 2 3.82x
Ealing 2 14.52x
Newnham 2 256.41x
Newtown Nr Newbury 2 1666.67x
Roath 2 16.41x
Tooting Graveney 2 95.69x
Whitechapel London 2 13.17x
Wotton St Mary 2 127.39x
Belper 1 21.37x
Birmingham 1 0.77x
Chepstow 1 52.63x
Coventry St Michael 1 8.01x
Dorking 1 19.84x
Epsom 1 27.32x
Frampton On Severn 1 196.08x
Godalming 1 21.14x
Guildford St Nicholas 1 75.19x
Hambledon 1 93.46x
Holmer 1 87.72x
Hornsey 1 5.13x
Islington London 1 0.67x
Kensington London 1 1.17x
Newington 1 1.76x
Portsea 1 1.62x
Tiverton 1 18.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Annie 6
Elizabeth 6
Harriet 4
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Sophia 2
Abby 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Carry 1
Dora 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margrett 1
Phillis 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
James 7
George 6
John 6
Thomas 6
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Frank 2
Horace 2
Albert 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Aston 1
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Emmerson 1
Erenest 1
F.J. 1
Frederick 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Raymond 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Karn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Karn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 158 people were recorded with the Karn surname. That placed it at #14,989 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Karn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Karn a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Karn surname mean?

Derived from the Old Norse byname Kárr, meaning "curly-haired" or "obstinate, unyielding."

What does the Karn map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Karn 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.