Hahn Surname Meaning and Family History

From the Middle High German han or hane meaning cock or rooster, Hahn was originally a nickname for a proud, cocky individual.

Alternate Surname Spellings: HAHNE, HAHNN, HAHEN, HAHENN, HAAHN, HAAHNN

Surname Origin: German, Jewish

Where in the World is the HAHN Surname Found?

According to surname distribution data from Forebears, the Hahn surname is found most prevalently in Germany, where it ranks 45th in the nation, followed by South Korea (96th) and Austria (158th). Within Germany, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler, Hahn is most common in Sachsen, Hessen, and Rheinland-Pfalz.

Surname distribution maps at verwandt.de show the Hahn surname is found in 439 cities and counties throughout Germany, most prevalently in Berlin, Hamburg, München, Esslingen, Hannover, Gießen, Frankfurt am Main, Köln, Rems-Murr-Kreis, and Nürnberg.

Famous People with the HAHN Surname:

• Otto Hahn - Nobel Prize-winning German scientist who discovered nuclear fission and the element protactinium
• August Hahn - German protestant theologian
• Carl Wilhelm Hahn - German zoologist
• Philipp Matthäus Hahn - German priest and inventor
• Erwin L. Hahn - U.S. physicist

Genealogy Resources for the Surname HAHN:

Meanings of Common German Surnames
Uncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames.

Hahn Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Hahn family crest or coat of arms for the Hahn surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

Hahn Family Genealogy Forum
Search this popular genealogy forum for the Hahn surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Hahn surname query.

DistantCousin.com - HAHN Genealogy & Family History
Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Hahn.

The Hahn Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Hahn surname from the website of Genealogy Today.

-----------------------

References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.