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

Kimbrough, 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 Kimbrough surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimbrough in America

Kimbrough is the 2978th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimbrough surname appeared 12,034 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Kimbrough.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimbrough 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 Kimbrough

The surname Kimbrough originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cyning" and "burh," which combined mean "king's borough" or "king's fortified town." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a town or settlement owned by the king.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Kineburghe." This entry indicates that the name was already in use in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England.

In the medieval period, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Kyneburghe, Kineburgh, and Kineburrow. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that time, as well as regional pronunciations.

Notable individuals bearing the Kimbrough surname include Sir John Kimbrough, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. Another early figure was William Kimbrough, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who was born around 1425.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name became associated with several places in England, such as Kimbrough Park in Nottinghamshire and Kimbrough Manor in Wiltshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of families bearing the name in those areas.

One notable figure from this period was Thomas Kimbrough (1545-1619), a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Southwark. He was a prominent figure in the political and religious debates of the time.

In the 18th century, the Kimbrough name gained prominence in the American colonies, with several individuals bearing the surname participating in the Revolutionary War. One such figure was Captain John Kimbrough (1742-1815), who served in the Continental Army and fought in the Battle of Guilford Court House.

As the centuries passed, the Kimbrough surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, artists, and academics. Emily Kimbrough (1899-1989) was a notable American author and lecturer, best known for her memoir "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay."

Throughout its history, the surname Kimbrough has maintained a strong connection to its Anglo-Saxon roots, reflecting the rich tapestry of English heritage and the enduring legacy of names that have been passed down through generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimbrough

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kimbrough, 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!