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

Kamm, 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 Kamm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kamm in America

Kamm is the 13741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kamm surname appeared 2,202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kamm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kamm 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 Kamm

The surname Kamm is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It likely derived from the Old High German word "kamb," which meant "comb" or "ridge," referring to a person who lived near a ridge or hilltop.

The earliest recorded mention of the Kamm name dates back to the 13th century in the regions of Saxony and Franconia in present-day Germany. It was often associated with places like Kammberg, Kammersbach, and Kammersdorf, suggesting the name's connection to these locations.

In the 14th century, the Kamm surname appeared in various medieval records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the former Brandenburg region. This indicates the presence of individuals bearing this name during that period.

One notable figure with the Kamm surname was Johann Kamm (c. 1520-1589), a German theologian and Reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and served as a pastor in several churches in Saxony.

Another prominent individual was Sebastian Kamm (1590-1653), a German composer and organist. He was born in Nürnberg and is known for his contributions to sacred music during the Baroque era.

In the 18th century, Johann Gottfried Kamm (1722-1792) was a respected German jurist and legal scholar. He served as a professor of law at the University of Göttingen and authored several influential works on jurisprudence.

The name Kamm also appeared in various regions of Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Basel, where it was often associated with the textile industry. One notable Swiss bearer of this surname was Johann Rudolf Kamm (1828-1897), a successful entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Kamm Spinning Mills.

Another figure of note was Karl Kamm (1843-1918), a German-American author and journalist. He immigrated to the United States in the 19th century and became a prominent writer and editor for German-language newspapers in New York City.

Throughout its history, the Kamm surname has been spelled in various ways, including Kamme, Kammerer, and Kammer, reflecting regional variations and influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in its connection to geographical features and locations in Germanic regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kamm

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

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 Kamm 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 Kamm 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 Kamm was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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