Explore the Family Name Kern
The meaning of Kern
1. German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German kerne ‘kernel, seed, pip’; Middle Dutch kern(e), keerne; German Kern or Yiddish kern ‘grain’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a farmer, or a nickname for a physically small person. As a Jewish surname, it is mainly artificial. 2. English (southeastern): metonymic occupational name for a maker or user of milk churns, from Middle English kern, kirn, kurn, a side-form of chern ‘churn’. Compare Church. 3. Slovenian: nickname for a stunted person, from an old spelling of krn ‘stunted’. 4. Slovenian: possibly also of German origin (see 1 above), used as a translation of the Slovenian surname Žitnik (see Zitnik).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kern in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Kern has seen a marginal fluctuation in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it held the rank of 1162, whereas in 2010 it was ranked 1237, indicating a decrease in popularity by 6.45%. Despite this slight dip in ranking, the count of individuals with the Kern surname increased from 27634 in 2000 to 28547 in 2010, marking a growth of 3.3%. However, when considering the proportion per 100k people, there was a decrease from 10.24 to 9.68, a decline of 5.47%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,162 | #1,237 | -6.45% |
| Count | 27,634 | 28,547 | 3.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 10.24 | 9.68 | -5.47% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kern
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides valuable insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kern. The largest shift between 2000 and 2010 occurred within the Hispanic community, which saw an increase from 1.26% to 2.04%, a change of 61.90%. Similarly, individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also rose from 0.56% to 0.88%, a 57.14% increase. Those identifying as two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native experienced increases of 23.81%, 8.25%, and 18.75% respectively. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals with the Kern surname who identified as White decreased from 94.76% in 2000 to 93.18% in 2010, a slight drop of 1.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.76% | 93.18% | -1.67% |
| Black | 2.06% | 2.23% | 8.25% |
| Hispanic | 1.26% | 2.04% | 61.9% |
| Two or More Races | 1.05% | 1.3% | 23.81% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.88% | 57.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.38% | 18.75% |
Kern ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Kern is British & Irish, which comprises 36.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (35.0%) and Eastern European (7.3%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 36.8% |
| French & German | 35.0% |
| Eastern European | 7.3% |
| Other | 20.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Kern
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Kern have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 75.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 75.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 75.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 75.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 74.90% |
What Kern haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Kern is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include J-Z631 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Hoffman, Wolf, Meyer, Fischer, Bauer, Mueller, Wagner, Schneider, Kramer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kern surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants
Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Kern have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Kern" Surname 39.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Kern" Surname 34.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kern" Surname 24.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Kern" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kern?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Kern are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition