NameCensus.

UK surname

Kohn

A Jewish surname of Hebrew origin, meaning "priest" or "descendant of the priestly class."

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Kohn surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 284, ranked #15,323, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kohn is 291 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 336.9%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

284

2016, ranked #15,323

Peak year

2013

291 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kohn had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 284 in 2016, ranked #15,323.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kohn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kohn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kohn 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 122 #20,344
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 215 #16,844
1998 modern 229 #16,657
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 241 #16,146
2001 modern 234 #16,205
2002 modern 242 #16,186
2003 modern 239 #16,093
2004 modern 245 #15,894
2005 modern 241 #16,036
2006 modern 242 #16,097
2007 modern 239 #16,449
2008 modern 253 #15,941
2009 modern 257 #16,099
2010 modern 277 #15,595
2011 modern 275 #15,517
2012 modern 271 #15,628
2013 modern 291 #15,067
2014 modern 287 #15,342
2015 modern 282 #15,417
2016 modern 284 #15,323

Geography

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Where Kohns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney and Sevenoaks. 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 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 001 Hackney
2 Hackney 003 Hackney
3 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
4 Hackney 004 Hackney
5 Hackney 029 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kohn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kohn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kohn, 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 Kohn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kohn 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kohn 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

Kohn 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

Kohn 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 Kohn 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 Kohn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kohn

The surname KOHN has its origins in the German and Jewish communities of Central Europe, particularly in the regions of modern-day Germany, Austria, and neighboring areas. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the late Middle Ages or early modern period, around the 15th to 17th centuries.

The name KOHN is derived from the Hebrew personal name Kohen, which means "priest" or "descendant of the priestly caste." This suggests that the surname may have initially been adopted by families descended from the ancient priestly lineage of the Israelites. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Kohn, Cohn, Kahan, and others, as it spread across different regions and languages.

One of the earliest known references to the surname KOHN can be found in the records of the Jewish community of Prague, in what is now the Czech Republic, dating back to the 16th century. The name appears in documents related to Jewish residents and families in the city during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname KOHN throughout history include Moses Kohn (1752-1817), a German-Jewish banker and philanthropist; Salomon Kohn (1825-1904), an Austrian composer and conductor; Gustav Kohn (1859-1938), an Austrian writer and journalist; and Harry Kohn (1887-1967), an American philosopher and historian of Zionism.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Ferdinand Kohn (1917-2001), an Austrian-American physicist who made significant contributions to the field of solid-state physics. He was born in Vienna and later immigrated to the United States, where he worked at various prestigious institutions, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

As the name KOHN spread across Europe and beyond, variations and alternative spellings emerged, often reflecting local linguistic and cultural influences. For instance, in parts of Eastern Europe, the name may have been rendered as Cohen or Kohen, closer to its Hebrew roots.

It is worth noting that the surname KOHN was not limited to Jewish communities but was also adopted by some non-Jewish families, particularly in areas with significant Jewish populations or cultural influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kohn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kohn 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 25 Kohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 4.50x
Lancashire 7 1.06x
Nottinghamshire 7 9.34x
Warwickshire 7 4.99x
Essex 6 5.47x
Glamorgan 2 2.07x
Kent 1 0.53x
Northumberland 1 1.21x
Royal Navy 1 15.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arnold in Nottinghamshire leads with 7 Kohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 642.20x.

Place Total Index
Arnold 7 642.20x
Birmingham 7 14.98x
St Marylebone London 7 23.58x
Colchester St Giles 6 555.56x
Shoreditch London 5 20.75x
Mile End Old Town London 4 33.81x
Paddington London 4 19.57x
Reddish 4 439.56x
Clase 2 55.56x
Islington London 2 3.71x
Liverpool 2 4.99x
St Luke London 2 22.42x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 9.54x
Margate St John Baptist 1 28.82x
Morpeth 1 103.09x
St Anne Soho London 1 31.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 4
Arthur 2
Henry 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Antoine 1
Chas. 1
Ernest 1
Ferdinand 1
George 1
Herrman 1
Jean 1
John 1
Julas 1
Julius 1
Lazurus 1
Manonshan 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Seligman 1
Solomon 1
Woolf 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kohn households.

FAQ

Kohn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kohn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Kohn surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kohn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 284 in 2016. That gives Kohn a modern rank of #15,323.

What does the Kohn surname mean?

A Jewish surname of Hebrew origin, meaning "priest" or "descendant of the priestly class."

What does the Kohn map show?

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