2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kember
A locational surname referring to someone from the region of Kent, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Kember. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kember 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kember with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Kember in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kember, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kember
The surname Kember has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cumb," meaning a valley or a hollow, combined with the suffix "-er," indicating a resident or dweller. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in or near a valley or a hollow area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kember can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled as "Cumbere." This document was a survey of landholdings in England, providing valuable insight into the distribution of surnames during that period.
Another notable reference to the name Kember appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where it is listed as "Kumbere." These rolls were tax records that documented individuals who were subject to paying taxes, further indicating the presence of the name in various regions of England.
The Kember surname is also believed to have originated from place names such as Comber in County Down, Northern Ireland, or Comberbach in Cheshire, England. These place names share a similar etymology, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and geographical features like valleys or hollows.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kember was John Kember, who was born around 1550 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry.
Another notable figure with the Kember surname was William Kember, born in 1685 in Somerset, England. He was a successful merchant and trader, contributing to the economic development of the region.
In the 18th century, Thomas Kember, born in 1745 in Oxfordshire, gained recognition as a skilled craftsman and furniture maker. His work is still highly regarded by antique collectors and enthusiasts.
During the 19th century, the Kember surname was associated with the literary world through the works of Samuel Kember, born in 1811 in Dorset. He was a renowned poet and author, known for his romantic and pastoral themes.
Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir John Kember, born in 1876 in Hampshire, England. He was a distinguished military officer who served in both World Wars and received numerous honors for his bravery and leadership.
These examples highlight the rich history and diversity of the Kember surname, which has been present in various regions of England and beyond, spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kember
Among Census respondents with the surname Kember, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kember 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 Kember surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.5% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino9.7% · 10
- Two or more races3.9% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kember
Kember appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,862 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 1,862 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 Kember 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 | #156,044 | #154,182 | 1.2% |
| Count | 104 | 103 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kember bearers went from 104 to 103 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 1,862 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #154,182.
FAQ
Kember surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kember?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Kember. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Kember?
Kember ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Kember. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kember.
Has Kember become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kember went from 104 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Kember?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kember, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Kember in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.5% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kember appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.5%), Hispanic (9.7%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Kember (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 Kember mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from the region of Kent, England. 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 Kember (0.03 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 Kember?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.