NameCensus.

UK surname

Kuhn

A German occupational surname referring to a daring, bold, or audacious person.

In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Kuhn surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 347, ranked #13,259, up from #21,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, East Hampshire and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kuhn is 353 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 313.1%.

1881 census count

84

Ranked #21,690

Modern count

347

2016, ranked #13,259

Peak year

2010

353 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kuhn had 84 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016, ranked #13,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 207 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kuhn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kuhn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kuhn 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
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 84 #21,690
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 207 #14,635
1997 modern 248 #15,363
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 262 #15,308
2000 modern 260 #15,360
2001 modern 257 #15,236
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 284 #14,331
2004 modern 298 #13,937
2005 modern 307 #13,625
2006 modern 309 #13,633
2007 modern 320 #13,442
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 338 #13,302
2010 modern 353 #13,156
2011 modern 352 #13,032
2012 modern 349 #12,993
2013 modern 347 #13,260
2014 modern 351 #13,227
2015 modern 341 #13,425
2016 modern 347 #13,259

Geography

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Where Kuhns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Manchester and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, East Hampshire, Luton and East Hertfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 010 South Northamptonshire
2 South Northamptonshire 011 South Northamptonshire
3 East Hampshire 002 East Hampshire
4 Luton 001 Luton
5 East Hertfordshire 012 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kuhn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kuhn

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Kuhn is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kuhn 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

Kuhn falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kuhn

The surname Kuhn originated in Germany, where it first appeared around the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "kühn," meaning "bold" or "brave." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who displayed such qualities.

The earliest recorded instances of the name come from various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony. In medieval times, the name was often spelled as "Kühn" or "Kuhn," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Petri Salisburgensis, a 12th-century manuscript from the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter in Salzburg. This document mentions a person named "Chunradus Kuhn" in the year 1186.

Another notable historical figure bearing this surname was Johann Kuhn (1587-1668), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony. He is considered one of the most important composers of the early Baroque period in Germany.

In the 18th century, Johann Nepomuk Kuhn (1702-1784) was a renowned Bavarian sculptor and wood carver. His intricate works can be found in various churches and monasteries throughout Bavaria.

The name Kuhn has also been linked to various place names in Germany, such as Kuhnhausen, a village in Thuringia, and Kuhnsdorf, a town in Saxony-Anhalt. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Another noteworthy figure was the philosopher and physicist Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996), known for his influential work "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." He challenged the traditional view of scientific progress and introduced the concept of "paradigm shifts."

Lastly, the Kuhn family has produced several notable individuals throughout history, including the American baseball player Rick Kuhn (1946-2018), who played for the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers in the 1970s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kuhn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kuhn 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 36 Kuhns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 4.39x
Lancashire 23 2.37x
Surrey 9 2.25x
Essex 8 4.95x
Cheshire 3 1.66x
Sussex 3 2.17x
Lincolnshire 1 0.76x
Staffordshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 11 Kuhns recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.21x.

Place Total Index
Hulme 11 54.21x
Liverpool 10 16.94x
Walthamstow 7 120.27x
Islington London 6 7.56x
St Anne Soho London 5 106.84x
St George In East London 5 64.94x
Camberwell 4 7.64x
Chelsea London 4 16.21x
East Molesey 4 430.11x
St Marylebone London 4 9.14x
Altrincham 3 94.94x
Kensington London 3 6.59x
St Pancras London 3 4.55x
Whitechapel London 3 37.17x
Brighton 2 7.18x
Bromley London 2 11.10x
Battersea 1 3.32x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 6.48x
Great Grimsby 1 12.03x
Handsworth 1 14.66x
Hastings St Mary 1 29.07x
Manchester 1 2.29x
Paddington London 1 3.32x
Prittlewell 1 44.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Ada 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Katharina 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
August 1
C.M.L. 1
Cecilia 1
Elise 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harrietta 1
Heline 1
Hilda 1
Jessy 1
Johanna 1
Josephine 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Minna 1
N.K. 1
Nellie 1
Reachus 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 3
William 3
Bernard 2
Carl 2
Frederick 2
Heinrich 2
Peter 2
Arthur 1
Augustine 1
Bernhard 1
C.H. 1
Chas.A. 1
Emanuel 1
Emil 1
Ernest 1
Feodar 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fritz 1
Harry 1
Hedwig 1
Herman 1
Jacob 1
John 1
Julius 1
Oscar 1
Phillip 1

FAQ

Kuhn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kuhn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Kuhn surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kuhn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016. That gives Kuhn a modern rank of #13,259.

What does the Kuhn surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a daring, bold, or audacious person.

What does the Kuhn map show?

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