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

Kemp, 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 Kemp surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kemp in America

Kemp is the 753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kemp surname appeared 46,146 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 16 people would have the surname Kemp.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kemp 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 Kemp

The surname Kemp originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "cempa" or "kempa," meaning a soldier, warrior, or champion. The name first emerged in areas such as Kent, Surrey, and Essex, which were strongholds of the Anglo-Saxon settlers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kemp can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Kempe." This ancient record lists several individuals bearing this surname, indicating its presence in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name Kemp was associated with notable figures such as Walter Kemp (c. 1230-1294), a prominent English churchman who served as Bishop of Rochester and later as Archbishop of Canterbury. Another early bearer of the name was John Kemp (c. 1380-1454), an English cardinal and Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VI.

The surname Kemp also has connections to place names in England, such as Kemp Town, a coastal area in Brighton, and Kempton Park in Middlesex. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the Kemp surname, reflecting the historical significance of this name in various regions.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Kemp were:

1. Thomas Kemp (1517-1589), an English Catholic scholar and writer who served as a chaplain to Queen Mary I.
2. William Kemp (c. 1560-1620), an English actor and dancer who gained fame for his remarkable feat of morris dancing from London to Norwich in 1599.
3. John Kemp (c. 1665-1717), an English composer and organist who served as the organist at the Chapel Royal and authored several music publications.
4. George Kemp (1737-1807), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and surrounding areas.
5. Jack Kemp (1935-2009), an American politician and former professional football player who served as the 9th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and was the Republican Party's vice-presidential nominee in 1996.

Over the centuries, the surname Kemp has maintained a strong presence in various parts of the English-speaking world, reflecting its deep roots in English history and the widespread influence of its bearers across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kemp

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

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

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

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