Cain is used as a family name or surname in Ireland. It is 4 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Cain
No. of characters: 4
Origin: Ireland
Meaning:

The surname Cain is the variant form of O'Kane. See O'Cahan - The O'Cahans, formerly prevalent about Coleraine, have softened their name to O'Kane, Cain, and Kane.

Variant of the O'Cahan. The O'Cahans, formerly prevalent about Coleraine, have softened their name to O'Kane, Cain, and Kane.

Family name Cain is the form of Kyan. A corruption of O'Cahan - The O'Cahans, formerly prevalent about Coleraine, have softened their name to O'Kane, Cain, and Kane

The ancestors of the family were anciently princes of Derry, and a younger branch of the royal O'Neills. The Irish annals mention a Kian, king of Desmond, in 1014.

Variation of Kean. 1. See Keen - Perhaps sometimes from sharpness of disposition; but sometimes probably the Irish O'Kean, sans O'. Both Kene and Le Kene occur in Hundred Rolls

In the Hundred Rolls, it is Kene, without prefix. 2. Keyne, a parish in Cornwall.

Of Gaelic origin meaning Beloved.

The variant of McCain. The son of Eoin, Irish form of John meaning "gracious gift of Jehovah".

Surname Cain is variant form of the Keane. Descendant of the warrior; May also be a variant of Keen meaning "the quick, sharp person".

The surname is a form of the Cane. Dweller near a natural pile of rocks; one who came from Carn, the namee of various small places in Cornwall.

Descendant of Cathan meaning "warrior"; one who came from Caen, in France; descendant of Cana meaning "of mature judgement".

Form of Kahan. Descendant of Cagano, a pet form of names commencing with Gegen meaning "against," as Gaganhard and Geginheri; Can also be a German variant of Cohen;dweller at the sign of the boat; one who owned or operated a boat.

Lastname is variant form of Kane. Descendant of the warrior; grandson of Cathan meaning "warrior".

Family name is the variation of Keen. The quick, sharp person; grandson of Cathan, a pet form of some name commencing with Cath, as Cathair or Cathal.

The variation of Keeney. Grandson of Cianach meaning "ancient".

Family name is a variant of McCloskey. The son of Bloscadh.

Variation of McCluskey. The son of Bloscadh.

Lastname is a form of Kane. Similar to Pen and Penn.

Cain is the form of the Cane. Cane, Cana, or Canus, appears in the Domesday of Sussex, as a baptismal name, and as a surname it is still found in that county.

Lastname Cain is a variant form of Kain. The same as Kane - See O'Cahan - The O'Cahans, formerly prevalent about Coleraine, have softened their name to O'Kane, Cain, and Kane

The town of Caen in Normandy was sometimes so written in English records.

Surname is a form of Kane. See O'Cahan - The O'Cahans, formerly prevalent about Coleraine, have softened their name to O'Kane, Cain, and Kane.

A variation of Keen. Perhaps sometimes from sharpness of disposition; but sometimes probably the Irish O'Kean, sans O'. Both Kene and Le Kene occur in Hundred Rolls.

Surname Cain is the variant of Keynes. See under Cheney - From Quesnay in the canton of Montmartin, department of La Manche, Normandy. De Gerville, Mem . Soc. Antiq. Normandie, 1825; but Mr.Walford with more probability derives the family from Cahagnes in the department of Calvados, a village of 2000 inhabitants, lying S.W.of Caen. They held a fief of the Count of Mortain, and attended him to the Conquest of England; They also denominated Milton Keynes, county of Bucks, Winkley Keynes, county of Devon, Combe Keynes, county of Dorset, and Keynes Court, county of Wilts. Sussex Arch. The orthography has taken numerous forms, particularly De Chaaignes, de Caisneto, De Querceto—the last under an erroneous impression that the name had its origin in chesnaie, a grove of oaks.

How popular is Cain?

Cain is common in United States, England, Australia, Turkey, Canada, Philippines, South Africa, New Zealand, Scotland, Jamaica, France, Ecuador, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Isle of Man, Wales, Brazil, Vanuatu, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria, Morocco, Germany, Northern Ireland, Barbados.

Cain is ranked 4886 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Cain bearers increased by 5.31 per cent in 2010 US census to 60948 since 2000, the surname slipped by 35 spots and ranked at 551. The last name was found in around 2 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 77.21 80.07
Black 17 15.95
Hispanic or Latino 2.33 1.36
Others 2.11 1.48
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 0.75 0.49
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.6 0.66
Cain is quite popular family name mostly used in United States however Nauru is ahead in terms of density. Around 115615 people have been found who wears Cain as their family name. Cain is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with ten thousands of Cain:
493 United States81,841
Countries with thousands of Cain:
792 England9,987
682 Australia5,754
1,963 Turkey4,854
1,459 Canada3,783
10,986 Philippines1,567
Countries with hundreds of Cain:
7,468 South Africa918
1,035 New Zealand735
1,221 Scotland644
661 Jamaica577
23,468 France439
4,233 Ecuador403
57 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines365
8 Isle of Man354
1,299 Wales265
31,835 Brazil242
281 Vanuatu236
22,057 Saudi Arabia199
1,078 Trinidad and Tobago190
455 Belize175
10,931 Mexico174
6,566 Papua New Guinea156
50,482 Nigeria140
42,794 Morocco136
52,603 Germany118
2,266 Northern Ireland104
447 Barbados102
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
21 Nauru100
96,891 Indonesia93
12,490 Israel77
28,212 Spain77
143,219 Thailand77
3,674 Singapore60
3,129 Panama53
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
2,216 Guyana45
43,576 Netherlands40
2,156 China34
10,163 Liberia32
209,401 Russia32
11,471 Dominican Republic31
81,358 Iran31
12,265 Portugal28
17,947 Denmark25
396,143 India23
27,273 Switzerland23
97,983 Argentina22
20,476 Chile17
53,509 Romania16
52,204 Sweden14
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
111,742 Malaysia10
1,084 Antigua and Barbuda9
5,469 Bahrain9
85,740 Czechia9
48,153 Egypt9
479 Samoa9
4,774 Hong Kong8
118,213 Italy7
47,869 Japan7
55,922 Qatar6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

During the great famine, 25 years old workman Michael Cain who was residing in Great Britain migrated to USA on May 15, 1846 by Monteauma put out from Liverpool. John Cain, aged 28, Bridget Cain (26), Michael Cain, aged 27, Nancy Cain, 26 years old Michael Cain, John Cain (28) Workman, 26 years old Daniel Cain, Thomas Cain (21), and 425 other Cain around 49.57% of whom were workman while others worked as tailoress and servant, spinster, servant, farmer, barrel maker/ cooper, mechanic migrated to US.

From Germany

21 years old Aron Cain who was residing in France migrated to USA on April 7, 1859 by David Hoadley put out from Havre. Catherine Cain, aged 31, 5 years old William Cain, Merchant Arthur Cain, 20 years old Catherine Cain, 16 years old Prof. Cain, Tobias Cain (22) Miner, Louise Cain (31), Paul Cain, and 4 other Cain around 44.44% of whom were laborer migrated to US from Liverpool, Hamburg, Havana, Havre & Santander and Liverpool & Queenstown.

Cain Namesakes

  • Joe Cain, Jr
  • Arthur Cain, British evolutionary biologist and ecologist
  • Michael Cain, pianist and composer
  • Toi Aukuso Cain, Samoan politician
  • Becky Cain, president of the League of Women Voters
  • Rhys Cain, Welsh-language poet
  • James M. Cain, American author and journalist
  • Dean Cain, American actor, producer and television show host
  • Scott Cain, Australian singer and TV presenter
  • Mick Cain, American actor
  • Sim Cain, American drummer
  • Herman Cain, American politician and author, business executive
  • Jonathan Cain, American musician, singer, and songwriter best
  • Syd Cain, British production designer
  • Richard H. Cain, minister, abolitionist
  • Matt Cain, American former professional baseball pitcher
  • Helena Cain, fictional character
  • Jeremy Cain, former American football long snapper
  • Herb Cain, Canadian professional ice hockey left winger
  • James P. Cain, hockey team executive and former United States Ambassador to Denmark
  • Harry P. Cain, United States Senator from Washington
  • Larry Cain, Canadian sprint canoeist
  • Lynn Cain, retired American football running back
  • Les Cain, American former starting pitcher
  • Tim Cain, American video game developer best known as the creator
  • Joshua Cain, guitarist and record producer from Saint Paul
  • Richard Cain, notoriously corrupt Chicago police officer and a close associate of Mafia boss Sam Giancana
  • LeRoy E. Cain, American aerospace engineer
  • Chris Cain, American blues and jazz guitarist with an international following
  • J. V. Cain, tight end in the NFL for the St
  • Elizabeth Cain, Australian former pair skater and current figure skating coach
  • Jane Cain, British telephonist and the original voice of the speaking clock
  • Peter Cain, Australian pair skater
  • Errol Le Cain, British animator and children's book illustrator
  • James David Cain, James David Cain Sr
  • Bob Cain, American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Chicago White Sox
  • Burl Cain, prison administrator and the former warden at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola
  • Johnny Cain, American football player, coach of football
  • Jackie Cain, American jazz singer

Cain Namesakes

  • Joe Cain, Jr
  • Arthur Cain, British evolutionary biologist and ecologist
  • Michael Cain, pianist and composer
  • Toi Aukuso Cain, Samoan politician
  • Becky Cain, president of the League of Women Voters
  • Rhys Cain, Welsh-language poet
  • James M. Cain, American author and journalist
  • Dean Cain, American actor, producer and television show host
  • Scott Cain, Australian singer and TV presenter
  • Mick Cain, American actor
  • Sim Cain, American drummer
  • Herman Cain, American politician and author, business executive
  • Jonathan Cain, American musician, singer, and songwriter best
  • Syd Cain, British production designer
  • Richard H. Cain, minister, abolitionist
  • Matt Cain, American former professional baseball pitcher
  • Helena Cain, fictional character
  • Jeremy Cain, former American football long snapper
  • Herb Cain, Canadian professional ice hockey left winger
  • James P. Cain, hockey team executive and former United States Ambassador to Denmark
  • Harry P. Cain, United States Senator from Washington
  • Larry Cain, Canadian sprint canoeist
  • Lynn Cain, retired American football running back
  • Les Cain, American former starting pitcher
  • Tim Cain, American video game developer best known as the creator
  • Joshua Cain, guitarist and record producer from Saint Paul
  • Richard Cain, notoriously corrupt Chicago police officer and a close associate of Mafia boss Sam Giancana
  • LeRoy E. Cain, American aerospace engineer
  • Chris Cain, American blues and jazz guitarist with an international following
  • J. V. Cain, tight end in the NFL for the St
  • Elizabeth Cain, Australian former pair skater and current figure skating coach
  • Jane Cain, British telephonist and the original voice of the speaking clock
  • Peter Cain, Australian pair skater
  • Errol Le Cain, British animator and children's book illustrator
  • James David Cain, James David Cain Sr
  • Bob Cain, American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Chicago White Sox
  • Burl Cain, prison administrator and the former warden at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola
  • Johnny Cain, American football player, coach of football
  • Jackie Cain, American jazz singer

Related Family Names: