2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kelmer
An English surname derived from the Old English words meaning "keelman" or boatman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Kelmer. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kelmer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Kelmer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kelmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kelmer
The surname KELMER is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kelm," which referred to a type of clay or loam soil. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to those who worked with clay or lived in an area known for its clay-rich soil.
The earliest known record of the KELMER surname appears in a German document from 1287, where it is spelled "Kelmere." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a specific place name or region in Germany.
In the 14th century, the name KELMER is found in various historical records across different regions of Germany, including the cities of Cologne, Nuremberg, and Dresden. This widespread distribution indicates that the name had become more prevalent and was likely adopted by families from different areas.
One notable figure with the KELMER surname was Hans Kelmer, a German artist and woodcarver who lived from 1470 to 1532. His intricate wooden sculptures and carvings can still be found in several churches and museums throughout Germany.
Another individual of note was Johann Kelmer, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1635 to 1698. He was known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy, which were influential during the Enlightenment period.
In the 18th century, the KELMER name appeared in records from the town of Heidelberg, where a family by the name of Kelmer was involved in the local wine trade. This suggests that the name may have also been associated with specific professions or industries in certain regions.
A prominent figure from the 19th century was Friedrich Kelmer, a German politician and diplomat who served as an ambassador for the German Empire from 1871 to 1890. He played a significant role in establishing diplomatic relations between Germany and several European nations.
Another notable individual was Anna Kelmer, a German writer and educator who lived from 1825 to 1904. She was known for her contributions to children's literature and her advocacy for women's education during a time when opportunities for women were limited.
While the KELMER surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the majority of historical records and notable figures associated with the name can be traced back to its German origins and the various regions within the country where it was prominent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kelmer
Among Census respondents with the surname Kelmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kelmer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kelmer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.2% · 107
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kelmer
Kelmer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
-9 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,544 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-20 bearers (-15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,826 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 14,544 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-15.5%) | Down 18,826 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kelmer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #131,379 | #150,205 | -14.3% |
| Count | 129 | 109 | -15.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kelmer bearers went from 129 to 109 (-15.5% change). The surname moved down 18,826 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #150,205.
FAQ
Kelmer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kelmer?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Kelmer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Kelmer?
Kelmer ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Kelmer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kelmer.
Has Kelmer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kelmer went from 129 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 20 (-15.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #131,379 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Kelmer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kelmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kelmer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.2% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kelmer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.2%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kelmer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kelmer mean?
An English surname derived from the Old English words meaning "keelman" or boatman. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kelmer (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Kelmer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.