Explore the Family Name Garn
The meaning of Garn
1. English (western): from a lost place called Garn in Westbury on Severn (Gloucestershire). 2. English: perhaps a shortened form of the Old French personal name Geron, the oblique case form of Garo, a pet form of ancient Germanic names in Ger- (see Gerald, Gerard, Garbutt). A shortened form Gern would have given rise to a variant pronunciation Garn in late Middle English. 3. English: perhaps a shortened form of Garron. 4. German: metonymic occupational name for a producer of or dealer in yarn, Middle High German garn. 5. East German: topographic name for a mountain dweller, from the Slavic root gorn-, e.g. in the Lower Sorbian adjective gorny ‘of the mountains’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Garn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Garn has seen minor fluctuations in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 20,270th in terms of commonality, with a total count of 1,221 individuals bearing this last name. A decade later, the rank slipped to 21,360th, signifying a decrease of approximately 5.38 percent. However, the actual number of people named Garn increased slightly by 0.41 percent to 1,226. The proportion per 100k also dipped by 6.67 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,270 | #21,360 | -5.38% |
| Count | 1,221 | 1,226 | 0.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.45 | 0.42 | -6.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Garn
Regarding the ethnic identity of those with the Garn surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority identify as White, making up 96.23 percent in 2000 and 95.92 percent in 2010. There were no recorded Asian/Pacific Islanders in either year and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation fell to zero in 2010 from 1.15 percent in 2000. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in those identifying with two or more races, jumping from 0.74 percent in 2000 to 1.14 percent in 2010, a change of 54.05 percent. Similarly, those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.15 percent to 1.71 percent, marking a 48.70 percent increase. Lastly, the Black community saw an introduction of the Garn surname in 2010, accounting for 0.49 percent, where there had been none in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.23% | 95.92% | -0.32% |
| Hispanic | 1.15% | 1.71% | 48.7% |
| Two or More Races | 0.74% | 1.14% | 54.05% |
| Black | 0% | 0.49% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.15% | 0% | 0% |