Kemppainen last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Kemppainen

A Finnish surname literally meaning "from a clearing" or "from a field".

Kemppainen, 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 Kemppainen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kemppainen in America

Kemppainen is the 44270th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kemppainen surname appeared 486 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 Kemppainen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kemppainen 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 44270 43377 2.04%
Count 486 469 3.56%
Proportion per 100k 0.16 0.17 -6.06%

The history of the last name Kemppainen

The surname Kemppainen is of Finnish origin and dates back several centuries. It is believed to have originated from the southwestern region of Finland, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Turku.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kemppainen can be traced back to a Finnish land registry from the late 16th century, where a farm named "Kemppainenhovi" was recorded. This suggests that the name may have derived from a place name or a descriptive term related to the local geography or landscape.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Kemppainen name appeared in various church records and historical documents across southwestern Finland. Notable individuals from this period include Antti Kemppainen (1643-1718), a landowner and farmer from the village of Mynämäki, and Liisa Kemppainen (1702-1778), a respected midwife who served the local community.

The name Kemppainen is thought to be related to the Finnish word "kemp" or "kempi," which can mean "sturdy" or "robust." This could indicate that the name was originally given to individuals who possessed a strong physical stature or lived in a particularly challenging environment.

In the 19th century, as Finnish migration to North America increased, several individuals bearing the Kemppainen surname made their way to the United States and Canada. One notable figure was Juho Kemppainen (1832-1910), a Finnish immigrant who settled in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and became a prominent figure in the local Finnish-American community.

Another significant individual with the Kemppainen name was Kaarlo Kemppainen (1877-1952), a Finnish writer and poet who was part of the literary movement known as the "Tulenkantajat" (Fire Bearers). His works explored themes of Finnish identity and the relationship between humans and nature.

In more recent history, the Kemppainen surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including academics, artists, and athletes. For example, Erkki Kemppainen (1925-2007) was a renowned Finnish architect who designed several notable buildings in Helsinki and other parts of Finland.

Overall, the surname Kemppainen has a rich history rooted in the Finnish language and culture. While its exact origins remain somewhat obscure, it has been passed down through generations and carried across continents, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of Finnish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kemppainen

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

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 Kemppainen was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.56% 445
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.03% 5
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.73% 23
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.47% 12
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Kemppainen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.56% 95.10% -3.79%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.03% 0.00% 200.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.73% 3.41% 32.43%
Two or More Races 2.47% 1.28% 63.47%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Kemppainen last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kemppainen-surname-popularity/.

"Kemppainen last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kemppainen-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 May, 2025

Kemppainen last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kemppainen-surname-popularity/.

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