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

Kimber, 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 Kimber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimber in America

Kimber is the 8581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimber surname appeared 3,838 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 Kimber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimber 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 Kimber

The surname Kimber originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cymbar," which means a small ridge or hill. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely resided near or on a small hill or elevated area.

The name Kimber is believed to have first appeared in the county of Dorset, located in the southwest of England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror.

During the 13th century, the name was also found in various forms, such as Kymber, Kymbare, and Kymbere, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. These variations were often influenced by the local pronunciation and the scribes' interpretations.

Notable historical figures who bore the surname Kimber include John Kimber (c. 1600-1676), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis during the English Civil War. Another significant individual was Edward Kimber (1719-1769), an English writer and historian best known for his work "The Life of Oliver Cromwell."

In the 18th century, the surname Kimber also gained recognition through the efforts of Isaac Kimber (1692-1755), an English writer and biographer who published several works, including a comprehensive history of England. Additionally, Thomas Kimber (c. 1700-1781) was an English engraver and artist known for his contributions to the publication of various literary works.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was Henry Kimber (1801-1886), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Chiddingfold in Surrey. He published several theological works and contributed to various literary publications during his lifetime.

Throughout its history, the surname Kimber has been associated with various locations and place names, primarily in the counties of Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. Some examples include Kimber Farm in Beaminster, Dorset, and Kimber Hill in South Somerset, both of which likely derived their names from early bearers of the Kimber surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimber

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

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

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

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