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

Kettering, 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 Kettering surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kettering in America

Kettering is the 21184th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kettering surname appeared 1,239 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 Kettering.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kettering 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 Kettering

The surname Kettering is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Kettering in Northamptonshire, England. The place name itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "cyte" meaning cottage and "ing" denoting a place or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Kettering can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is Robert de Kettering, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. This record suggests that the name was already well-established by that time.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, the town of Kettering is referred to as "Cateringes." This indicates that the name has undergone some spelling variations over the centuries, but its core root remained intact.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Kettering was Sir John Kettering, a prominent landowner and member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in the late 14th century. He played a significant role in the local affairs of his time and left a lasting legacy in the region.

Another notable figure was Thomas Kettering, a 16th-century English lawyer and judge who served as a Serjeant-at-Law during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was renowned for his legal expertise and contributed to the development of English common law.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of Ralph Kettering, a 17th-century English poet and playwright. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated during his lifetime and provided insight into the literary landscape of that era.

During the 18th century, the Kettering family gained prominence in the field of industry and commerce. One such example is William Kettering, a successful businessman and industrialist who established a thriving manufacturing company in the Midlands region of England.

The 19th century saw the rise of Charles Kettering, a pioneering American inventor and engineer. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the electric starter motor and several other groundbreaking inventions that revolutionized the automotive industry.

Throughout its long history, the surname Kettering has been associated with various notable individuals from diverse fields, reflecting the rich tapestry of human endeavor and achievement. While its origins can be traced back to a specific region in England, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of Ketterings who have left their mark on the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kettering

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

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

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

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