Karnes
An old surname that may be connected either with a place-name or with a word for combs, though the evidence is not firm.
The #5,494 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 48,752 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence for Karnes is thin, and the surname is best treated cautiously. One 19th-century source points readers from Karnes to Ames, suggesting a possible local or scribal connection, while another glosses it with "combs," implying a possible occupational nickname linked to comb-making or selling. On balance, the name looks like one of those short surnames whose exact origin was obscured early and may have been reshaped in spelling over time.
History
The name appears in British records and is later found among Irish surname statistics in Matheson’s work, showing that it had established itself in the British Isles by the 19th century. It is also associated with the Scottish jurist Henry Home, Lord Kames, whose title is sometimes seen in historical references and can complicate spelling searches. Because the surname is uncommon, its documentary trail is patchy and likely includes variant spellings.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The famous Scottish legal writer Henry Home is better known by his title, Lord Kames, which can make the surname look like a place-name or a different family altogether.
From the historical record
“Table showing the Surnames in Ibbland having Five Entries and upwards in the Bii-th Indexes of 1890, together with the Number in each Registration Province, and the Registration Counties in which these Karnes are principally found — continued. NUMBER OP ENTEIBS IN BIBTH INDEXES FOR 1890. Names.”
— Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (numerical strength, derivation, distribution)