Show ContentsKuhl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Like many surnames, the name Kuhl is taken from a feature of the terrain around the family's dwelling place; Kuhl comes from the Middle Low German word "kule," meaning a "hollow" or "depression." There are also several places in the northern part of Germany with that name.

Early Origins of the Kuhl family

The surname Kuhl was first found in Germany, where the name Kuhl came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as numerous branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some of which were located in other countries. Through the acquisition of these estates as well as their important contributions to society, the family successfully elevated their social status. Like many surnames, the name Kuhl is taken from a feature of the terrain around the family's dwelling place; Kuhl comes from the Middle Low German word "kule," meaning a "hollow" or "depression." There are also several places in the northern part of Germany with that name.

Early History of the Kuhl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kuhl research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1651 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Kuhl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kuhl Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kuhl, Kuhle, Kuhlen, Kuhlemann, Kuhlmann, Kulemann, Kule and many more.

Early Notables of the Kuhl family

Notables of the time with the name Kuhl included

  • Quirinus Kuhlmann (1651-1689), German Baroque poet and mystic

Kuhl Ranking

In the United States, the name Kuhl is the 5,307th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


United States Kuhl migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kuhl Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Kuhl, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1741
  • Johannes Kuhl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1742 2
  • Hans Jacob Kuhl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
  • Conrad Kuhl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
  • Johan Philip Kuhl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kuhl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Martin Kuhl, aged 29, who arrived in America in 1843 2
  • Johann Kuhl, who arrived in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Sarah Ann" 2
  • Joh Heinr Kuhl, who arrived in America in 1848 2
  • Henry Kuhl, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 2
  • Sophia Kuhl, who arrived in New York in 1850 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kuhl Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. John Kuhl, aged 23, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Italia" 3

Canada Kuhl migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kuhl Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Wilhelm Kuhl, aged 49, who landed in Quebec in 1868

Contemporary Notables of the name Kuhl (post 1700) +

  • Patricia Katherine Kuhl, American Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington
  • Charles Kuhl (1915-1971), US Army soldier who was famously slapped by General George S. Patton who was later reprimanded and his Seventh Army disbanded and was passed over to lead the invasion in northern Europe
  • Carolyn Barbara Kuhl (b. 1952), American judge on the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles
  • John R "Randy" Kuhl Jr. (b. 1943), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (2005-2009)
  • Dr. Hermann Josef von Kuhl (1856-1958), Prussian military officer, member of the German General Staff, and a Generalleutnant during World War I
  • Heinrich Kuhl (1797-1821), German naturalist and zoologist
  • Patrick Kühl (b. 1968), East German silver medal winner in the 200m Individual Medley at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea
  • Walter Frederick Kuhl (1905-1991), Canadian teacher and politician, Member of Parliament Jasper-Edson (1935-1945)
  • Stanley Kuhl Hornbeck (1883-1966), American diplomat, Rhodes scholar and author, Cief of the State Department Division of Far Eastern Affairs (1928–1937), a special adviser to Secretary of State Cordell Hull (1937–1944), and ambassador to The Netherlands (1944–1947)

Bismarck
  • Fritz Kuhl (1923-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2203
  4. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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