Find out how popular the last name Kamish is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kamish.

Kamish, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kamish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kamish in America

Kamish is the 99845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kamish surname appeared 181 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kamish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kamish to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kamish

The surname Kamish has its origins in the Middle Eastern region, specifically in the areas that are now modern-day Turkey and Iran. It is believed to have derived from the Persian word "kamish," which translates to "reed" or "cane." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived near or worked with reeds or canes.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kamish can be traced back to the 12th century, appearing in various historical documents and manuscripts from the region. One notable example is the Kitab al-Ansab, a genealogical work compiled by the Persian scholar Samani in the 11th century, which mentions several individuals with the surname Kamish.

In the 13th century, the name Kamish is mentioned in the travel accounts of the Venetian explorer Marco Polo, who encountered individuals bearing this surname during his journeys through the Middle East. Polo's writings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution and prominence of the name during that period.

As the surname spread across the region, it underwent various spelling variations, including Kamysh, Kamishi, and Kamishi-zadeh. These variations often reflected local dialects and linguistic influences within the areas where the name was prevalent.

One notable bearer of the Kamish surname was Mahmud ibn Kamish, a 13th-century Persian poet and scholar who hailed from the city of Qazvin in modern-day Iran. His works, which included poetry and treatises on various subjects, were widely renowned during his lifetime and contributed to the literary tradition of the region.

Another influential figure with the Kamish surname was Mirza Muhammad Kamish, a 17th-century Persian calligrapher and artist who was renowned for his mastery of the Nasta'liq script. His works were highly sought after by patrons and collectors, and his calligraphic compositions adorned the walls of various mosques and palaces throughout the Persian Empire.

In the 19th century, the name Kamish gained further prominence with the birth of Hasan Kamish Bey (1834-1906), a Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Ottoman Empire. His contributions to diplomacy and foreign relations left a lasting impact on the political landscape of the region.

Additionally, the Kamish surname is associated with the Kamish family of Baghdad, a prominent lineage of scholars, artists, and intellectuals who made significant contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of the city during the medieval period.

Throughout its history, the surname Kamish has been deeply rooted in the Middle Eastern region, with its origins and prevalence primarily centered in the areas that are now Turkey and Iran. While the name has undergone various spelling variations and geographical dispersions over the centuries, it continues to bear the linguistic and cultural influences of its Persian and Middle Eastern heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kamish

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kamish.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kamish was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kamish has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kamish was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kamish, please contact us.

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