2000
#729
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 42,758
First available Census row
Per 100,000 15.85
Uncommon Last name
Kerr
A Scottish and English toponymic surname derived from the Old Norse word "kjarr," meaning "wet ground" or "marsh."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 49,445 Americans carry the last name Kerr. That puts it at #780 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 14.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,932 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kerr surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kerr with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
49K
1 in 6,932
Census rank
#780
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
14.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
43K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 43,118 bearers of the surname Kerr in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 14.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 780th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kerr
The surname Kerr originated in Scotland and has been a Scottish name since medieval times. It is derived from the Gaelic word 'ciar' which means 'dark brown' or 'dusky'. This referred to the hair or complexion of the original bearer. The name was initially a descriptive nickname used to distinguish between individuals of the same given name.
The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 12th century in the Scottish Borders region. A person named Richard Ker was noted in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name was also recorded as Kerre, Chere, and Cheyres during this period.
In the 14th century, the Kerrs became a prominent family in the Scottish Borders, holding lands and properties in the areas of Roxburghshire, Berwickshire, and Selkirkshire. They gained influence and power, with several members serving as wardens and governors of the Borders region.
One notable figure from this family was Sir Andrew Ker of Cessford, who lived from around 1470 to 1526. He was a powerful Border chief and played a significant role in the conflicts between Scotland and England during that time.
Another famous bearer of the name was Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe, who lived from 1570 to 1650. He was a Scottish nobleman and served as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland under King James VI.
In the 17th century, the Kerrs established themselves as a prominent clan in Scotland, with their main seat at Ferniehirst Castle in Roxburghshire. The clan was known for their bravery and loyalty to the Scottish crown.
During the 18th century, the name Kerr spread beyond Scotland as members of the clan migrated to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One notable figure from this period was John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian, who lived from 1737 to 1815 and served as a British diplomat and politician.
Over time, the name Kerr has been associated with various places and landmarks, such as Kerr County in Texas, named after James Kerr, a Scottish immigrant who settled in the area in the 19th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kerr
Among Census respondents with the surname Kerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kerr bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kerr surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 35,902
- Black or African American8.1% · 3,479
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 1,566
- Two or more races3.6% · 1,545
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 396
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 230
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kerr
Kerr appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#771
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 44,711
+1,953 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 15.16
Rank movement Down 42 places
2020
#780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 43,118
-1,593 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 14.43
Rank movement Down 9 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #729 | 42,758 | 15.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #771 | 44,711 | 15.16 | +1,953 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 42 places |
| 2020 | #780 | 43,118 | 14.43 | -1,593 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 9 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kerr surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #771 | #780 | -1.2% |
| Count | 44,711 | 43,118 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 15.16 | 14.43 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kerr bearers went from 44,711 to 43,118 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 9 positions in the national ranking, going from #771 to #780.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kerr
FAQ
Kerr surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kerr?
Name Census estimates that about 49,445 living Americans carry the surname Kerr. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,932 residents.
How common is Kerr?
Kerr ranks #780 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 14.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 14 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 43,118 people with the surname Kerr. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (49,445), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 14.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 14.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 14 of them to have the surname Kerr.
Has Kerr become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kerr went from 44,711 recorded bearers to 43,118. That is a decrease of 1,593 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #771 to #780.
What does the Census say about the background of Kerr?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Black (8.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kerr in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (35,902 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kerr appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Black (8.1%), Hispanic (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kerr (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kerr mean?
A Scottish and English toponymic surname derived from the Old Norse word "kjarr," meaning "wet ground" or "marsh." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kerr (14.43 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Kerr?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.