NameCensus.

UK surname

Kern

An English occupational surname referring to someone who operated a mill or worked as a miller.

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Kern surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 328, ranked #13,831, up from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Godalming, London parishes and Thorpe Market. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Braintree and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kern is 338 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.7%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

328

2016, ranked #13,831

Peak year

2011

338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kern had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016, ranked #13,831.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kern surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kern surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kern 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 288 #14,312
2001 modern 280 #14,364
2002 modern 286 #14,442
2003 modern 298 #13,886
2004 modern 289 #14,219
2005 modern 300 #13,837
2006 modern 297 #14,004
2007 modern 312 #13,674
2008 modern 330 #13,257
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 331 #13,769
2011 modern 338 #13,435
2012 modern 320 #13,868
2013 modern 318 #14,160
2014 modern 322 #14,113
2015 modern 331 #13,739
2016 modern 328 #13,831

Geography

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Where Kerns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Godalming, London parishes, Thorpe Market and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, Braintree, Bridgend, Hillingdon and Wealden. 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 Godalming Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 Thorpe Market Norfolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
2 Braintree 004 Braintree
3 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
4 Hillingdon 001 Hillingdon
5 Wealden 001 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kern

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kern

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Kern surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kern 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kern 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

Kern is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kern falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kern is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kern

The surname Kern originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "kern," meaning "seed" or "kernel." It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname for those who worked with grains or seeds, such as millers or farmers.

In the 13th century, the name Kern was found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. It appeared in medieval records like the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, which documented land transactions and legal agreements.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Kern, a merchant from Nuremberg, who lived in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Johannes Kern, a Franciscan friar and theologian born in Memmingen, Bavaria, in 1427.

The Kern surname also had variations in spelling, such as Kerne, Kehrn, and Kehrne, which were common in different regions of Germany. Some of these variations may have derived from place names like Kernbach or Kernhofen.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Leonhard Kern (1588-1663), a German painter and engraver from Bamberg. Another notable bearer was Johann Conrad Kern (1765-1826), a German composer and organist from Lauterbach.

As the German diaspora spread across Europe and beyond, the Kern surname travelled with them. In the 19th century, Johann Kern (1808-1888), a German-born Brazilian landowner and entrepreneur, played a significant role in the development of São Paulo.

Other notable individuals with the Kern surname include Jerome Kern (1885-1945), an American composer of musical theater and popular music; and Jacques Kern (1937-2007), a French journalist and writer who covered conflicts in various parts of the world.

The Kern surname has a rich history rooted in Germany, spanning centuries and reflecting the diverse occupations and achievements of its bearers across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kern families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kern 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. Middlesex leads with 31 Kerns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 2.32x
Surrey 29 4.45x
Kent 23 5.04x
Glamorgan 8 3.44x
Midlothian 7 3.91x
Devon 6 2.16x
Suffolk 6 3.69x
Durham 4 1.01x
Monmouthshire 4 4.14x
Lanarkshire 3 0.69x
Hampshire 2 0.73x
Roxburghshire 2 8.26x
Staffordshire 2 0.44x
Warwickshire 2 0.59x
Wiltshire 2 1.69x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.24x
Cheshire 1 0.34x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.35x
Rutland 1 10.19x
Sussex 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Woking in Surrey leads with 11 Kerns recorded in 1881 and an index of 280.61x.

Place Total Index
Woking 11 280.61x
Clerkenwell London 9 28.54x
Plumstead 9 59.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 9.72x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 108.70x
Bexley 5 124.07x
Lambeth 5 4.29x
Reigate Foreign 5 70.92x
Swansea Town 5 26.21x
Westminster St James 5 36.39x
Aberystruth 4 47.00x
Dawdon 4 81.80x
Totnes 4 245.40x
Blantyre 3 66.67x
Croydon 3 8.30x
Finchley 3 58.59x
Frindsbury 3 174.42x
Godalming 3 73.17x
Islington London 3 2.32x
Birmingham 2 1.78x
Cardiff St John 2 26.32x
Deptford St Paul 2 5.69x
Easton 2 1333.33x
Greenwich 2 9.40x
Hammersmith London 2 6.08x
Handsworth 2 17.99x
Hornsey 2 11.83x
Kingsteignton 2 259.74x
Lymington 2 99.50x
St George Hanover Square 2 8.50x
Acton 1 12.77x
Bramley 1 175.44x
Brighton 1 2.20x
Bromley London 1 3.40x
Chorley In Macclesfield 1 111.11x
Ednam 1 357.14x
Elton 1 18.25x
Glaston 1 1000.00x
Hendon 1 20.79x
Lewisham 1 4.11x
Llanfabon 1 81.97x
Margate St John Baptist 1 11.98x
Newington 1 2.03x
Paddington London 1 2.04x
Pembroke St Michael 1 161.29x
Princes Risborough 1 92.59x
St Pancras London 1 0.93x
Wilton 1 37.59x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
John 8
William 7
George 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Abel 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
E. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Heinrick 1
Henrey 1
Jacob 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Max 1
Neal 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Kern surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kern surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Kern surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kern surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016. That gives Kern a modern rank of #13,831.

What does the Kern surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who operated a mill or worked as a miller.

What does the Kern map show?

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