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

Kempton, 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 Kempton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kempton in America

Kempton is the 9397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kempton surname appeared 3,460 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kempton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kempton 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 Kempton

The surname Kempton has its origins traced back to England, with roots dating back to the late Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the place name Kempton, which is found in various regions of England, including Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Somerset.

The name Kempton is thought to have originated from the Old English words "cempa," meaning "soldier" or "warrior," and "tun," meaning "town" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a settlement or town inhabited by soldiers or warriors.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Kempton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Chementone" in this historical document.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "de Kempton" and "Kempeton," indicating its locational origin. The earliest known bearer of the name was Richard de Kempton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1202.

Notable individuals with the surname Kempton throughout history include:

1. Sir John Kempton (c. 1380 - 1453), an English nobleman and member of Parliament for Sussex during the reign of Henry VI.
2. William Kempton (1617 - 1691), an early settler in colonial America and one of the founders of the town of Kempton, Pennsylvania.
3. Samuel Kempton (1777 - 1838), an American sea captain and merchant who played a significant role in the maritime trade between the United States and Asia in the early 19th century.
4. Eliza Kempton (1839 - 1921), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, known for establishing one of the first successful vocational schools for girls in the United States.
5. James Kempton (1917 - 2007), a British journalist and newspaper editor who served as the editor of The New Statesman and The Sunday Times during his career.

The surname Kempton has also been associated with various place names, such as Kempton Park in Hertfordshire, Kempton in Somerset, and Kempton in Bedfordshire, further emphasizing its locational origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kempton

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

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

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

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