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

Kimberling, 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 Kimberling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimberling in America

Kimberling is the 20029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimberling surname appeared 1,336 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 Kimberling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimberling 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 Kimberling

The surname Kimberling is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kimberl," which means "a small, round vessel or container." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who worked as a potter or crafted small containers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kimberling name can be found in the town records of Weilburg, Hesse, Germany, from the late 1500s. These records mention a family with the surname Kimberling residing in the area. It is possible that the name was initially localized to this region before eventually spreading to other parts of Germany and beyond.

In terms of historical references, the Kimberling name does not appear to have been mentioned in any major historical documents or manuscripts, such as the Domesday Book. However, it is worth noting that many surnames were not consistently recorded until later periods, making it difficult to trace their origins with absolute certainty.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Kimberling surname was Hans Kimberling, who was born in Weilburg, Hesse, in 1612. He worked as a cooper, a tradesman who made wooden casks and barrels, which aligns with the possible connection between the name and the crafting of containers.

Another notable figure was Johann Kimberling (1678-1745), a German-born clockmaker and watchmaker who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the early 18th century. He is considered one of the first skilled clockmakers in the American colonies and his work is highly valued by collectors today.

In the 19th century, Wilhelm Kimberling (1832-1901) was a prominent German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag building, which served as the home of the German parliament until it was damaged during World War II.

Moving forward, Lilian Kimberling (1886-1967) was a Canadian writer and journalist who wrote for several publications in the early 20th century. She was also an advocate for women's rights and a member of the Canadian Women's Press Club.

Finally, Robert Kimberling (1915-2005) was an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Kimberling City Resort and Club in Missouri. The resort, located on the shores of Table Rock Lake, became a popular tourist destination and contributed significantly to the local economy.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Kimberling surname throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimberling

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!