Kaul
A surname of several likely Indian and Germanic origins, most often linked to Kashmiri Pandit or other North Indian family names, and sometimes to a German place-name or nickname tradition.
The #8,016 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 74,793 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kaul is a surname with more than one plausible origin. In South Asian use, it is especially associated with Kashmiri Pandit families and may reflect a lineage or clan name rather than a transparent single-word meaning; some explanations connect it with Sanskrit and Kashmiri naming traditions. In German contexts, Kaul can also be tied to a place-name or to words for a pit, hollow, or pool, making the surname potentially locational in origin.
History
In the United States, Kaul is found mainly among families of South Asian background, especially from India. Separate German bearers of the surname have also existed, so the name may have been independently formed in different communities. Because of these parallel origins, the surname's history is best treated as mixed rather than single-source.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same spelling can point to different family histories, which is a good reminder that some surnames are truly multi-origin names.