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

Kelemen, 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 Kelemen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kelemen in America

Kelemen is the 19955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kelemen surname appeared 1,344 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 Kelemen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kelemen 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 Kelemen

The surname "KELEMEN" is of Hungarian origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the personal name "Kelemen," which comes from the Latin name "Clemens," meaning "merciful" or "gentle."

The name "KELEMEN" was initially concentrated in the regions of present-day Hungary, particularly in the central and eastern parts of the country. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 13th or 14th century, when the practice of adopting hereditary surnames became more common among the Hungarian nobility and the urban population.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "KELEMEN" can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Eger, which mentions a landowner named Kelemen Péter. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name "KELEMEN" appeared in various historical records, such as land deeds, tax rolls, and parish registers. It was particularly prevalent in the areas around Debrecen, Szeged, and the Danube Basin.

Notable individuals who bore the surname "KELEMEN" include Kelemen Mikes (1690-1761), a Hungarian writer and politician who served as a courtier to Prince Francis II Rákóczi during the Rákóczi Uprising against the Habsburg Monarchy. Another prominent figure was Kelemen József (1738-1810), a Hungarian architect who designed several important buildings in Eger, including the Líceumi Church and the Bishop's Palace.

In the 19th century, Kelemen Mihály (1819-1891) was a renowned Hungarian poet and translator, known for his translations of works by Shakespeare, Goethe, and Schiller. Kelemen Béla (1884-1954) was a Hungarian artist and painter who was part of the renowned Nagybánya artists' colony.

Kelemen Mór (1857-1923) was a Hungarian writer and journalist who founded the literary journal "Magyar Géniusz" and played a significant role in promoting the works of contemporary Hungarian authors.

While the surname "KELEMEN" has its origins in Hungary, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots remain deeply intertwined with the rich history and culture of the Hungarian people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kelemen

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

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

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

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