Krohn
A German surname most often linked to the word for “crown,” suggesting a nickname or symbolic byname.
The #5,796 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 51,725 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest historical explanation connects Krohn with German krone, “crown,” ultimately from Old High German kr4dna and Latin corona. In that reading, the name began as a nickname or descriptive byname, perhaps for someone associated with a crown in appearance, status, or signboard use. Some older sources also list Krohn among names linked to place or regional origin, but the “crown” derivation is the clearest and best supported by the excerpted dictionaries.
History
The name is established in German-speaking areas and appears in a number of related spellings, especially Krohne and Kron. In 19th- and early-20th-century surname studies it is grouped with other forms built on crown-related roots, while some compilers also noted separate regional or patronymic possibilities for similar-looking names. In modern usage it is found beyond Germany through emigration, including in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A few older surname indexes place Krohn alongside names like Krone and Kron as part of a broader crown-name family, showing how one root could generate several surname forms.
From the historical record
“pertinacity] KROHN (Ger.) Crown [f. Ger. krone, O.H.Ger. cordna; Lat. corona] Kruej^er 324 Maas”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)