Researching Robert Kearns
Dig into the past of Robert Kearns using the links below. We hope you find this information useful!
![]() | Did you know that in the 1881 UK census there were 934 people with the Kearns surname? In that year Kearns was ranked number 2652 for popularity in the UK. |

The name Robert means "bright fame" and is of English origin.
Records of Robert Kearns on Ancestry
Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out the detail of Robert Kearns in your family tree. A vast range of data is available to search ranging from census records, births, deaths and marriages, military records and immigration records to name but a few. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.
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Ancestry.com Global records search results for Robert Kearns. |
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Ancestry.com US records search results for Robert Kearns. |
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Ancestry.co.uk UK records search results for Robert Kearns. |
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Ancestry.ca Canadian records search results for Robert Kearns. |
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Ancestry.com.au Australian records search results for Robert Kearns. |
DNA
Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. If you are lucky then you may find some previously undiscovered Kearns ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!
Have you reached a brick wall in your Kearns Tree?
Birth, Death and Marriage Records for Robert Kearns and the Kearns Family Tree
Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Kearns Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources below you will be able to find a birth record and, from that, a birth certificate can be ordered which lists the names of the mother and father, taking you back another generation in your tree. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Kearns family tree.
Search Parish Records for Robert Kearns at Find My Past.
Study for the UK registered births, marriages and deaths of Robert Kearns using the FreeBMD database.
Look at Genealogy Bank for Robert Kearns records.
Investigate MyHeritage for Robert Kearns information.
Check out the LDS Database for records about Robert Kearns.
Research the Kearns surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Kearns Military records.
![]() | Did you know that there are currently 3458 people with the Kearns surname in the UK? Kearns is now ranked number 1632 for popularity in the UK. |
Kearns Family Tree Databases
Another way to build your tree quickly is to use the research other people have already done. This can help to confirm or refute your own deductions - however, be wary of taking this data at face value as other researchers may not have been as meticulous as you. Always try to back up deductions with some definitive sources rather than relying too heavily on others.
Explore the WikiTree database for user contributed records for Robert Kearns.
Study MyTrees for information on the Kearns family and people looking to contact living Kearns relations.
Check out One Great Family for Kearns records submitted by people who are already researching the Kearns Family Tree.
Find Robert Kearns from Ireland on findmypast.ie
Kearns Forums
There are a number of forums which are dedicated to rearching particular surnames. These can be good places to share your findings and also to tap into the knowledge that others may already have. These can sometimes be a good way of finding living relations as these tend not to show up on the other sources of information for privacy reasons.
Research the Kearns surname using Genealogy.com forums .
![]() | Did you know that there are currently 18229 people with the Kearns surname in the USA? Kearns is ranked number 151 for popularity in the USA. |
Miscellaneous Kearns Databases
Look at the Ellis Island Database for information on Robert Kearns. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.
Some Famous People called Robert Kearns
Robert Kearns
Robert William Kearns (March 10, 1927 – February 9, 2005) was an American engineer, educator and inventor who invented the most common intermittent windshield wiper systems used on most automobiles from 1969 to the present. His first patent for the invention was filed on December 1, 1964, after a few previous designs by other inventors had failed to gain any traction in manufacturing.
Kearns won one of the best known patent infringement cases against Ford Motor Company (1978–1990) and a case against Chrysler Corporation (1982–1992). Having invented and patented the intermittent windshield wiper mechanism, which was useful in light rain or mist, he tried to interest the "Big Three" auto makers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) in licensing the technology. Each rejected his proposal, yet began to install electronic intermittent wipers based on Kearns's design in their cars, beginning in 1969, when Ford rolled out the feature to its Mercury line.
Kearns's legal battle against Ford to protect his invention and patent was the subject of a 1993 article in The New Yorker magazine, which became the basis for a full-length biographical feature film titled Flash of Genius in 2008. Kearns was played by actor Greg Kinnear. Kearns had six children with his wife Phyllis, although they separated, supposedly as a result of the stress from the legal battle. He died of brain cancer at the age of 77.
Source: Robert Kearns, Wikipedia, The Free EncyclopediaOther names that sound a bit like Kearns
Family names can get corrupted over time, particularly where literacy was not as good. The following list contains some names that have similar sounds so you may want to also look at one or two of the more likely possibilites.
Kairns Karamzin Karayeannis Karing Karins Karnes Karns Karrington Keairns Kearnes Keirnes Kerans Kerins Kermes Kernes Kernican Kernick Kernke Kernock Kernocke Kerns Kierans Kierenza Kirkness Kirmse Kirrens Kohring Korinek Koring Korins Kormos Kornacki Kornas Kornaus Kornec Kornechuk Kornegay Korneichik Korneichuk Kornes Korngiebel Kornhauser Kornick Korniker Kornosky Kornousek Korns Kornstedt Kornyakov Kornyshev Krainik Krambousanos Kramek Krancki Kranig Krank Kranyec Kranyecz Kranz Kranzkowski Kranzusch Kraunk Kraynick Krems Kremser Krenek Krengel Krenger Krenik Krenshaw Krensky Krenz Krenzel Krenzke Krienke Krimkowski Kring Kringe Kringen Kringle Krink Krinke Krinks Kromeich Krongard Kronick Kronk Kronshagen Krumbach Krunk Krynock Kuhring Kuranko Kuring





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