2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kimerling
A surname likely derived from a place name, possibly of German or Eastern European origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Kimerling. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kimerling surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Kimerling in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimerling, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kimerling
The surname KIMERLING has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the late 13th century. The name is derived from the Old High German word "kimil," meaning a small vessel or cup, combined with the suffix "-ing," indicating a place of origin or a person associated with a particular trade or occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KIMERLING name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a compilation of historical documents from the 13th to the 15th century. In this collection, a person named Henricus Kimerling is mentioned in a document dated 1287, suggesting that the name was already in use during this period.
The KIMERLING surname is also believed to have been associated with certain place names in Germany, such as Kimmler, a small village in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is possible that some early bearers of the name may have originated from or resided in this area, contributing to the formation of the surname.
In the 16th century, a notable individual named Hans KIMERLING (1497-1562) was a renowned potter and ceramicist in the town of Nuremberg. His skill and craftsmanship were highly regarded, and his works were sought after by noble families and wealthy patrons throughout Europe.
During the 17th century, the KIMERLING surname gained further prominence with the birth of Johann KIMERLING (1623-1688), a respected theologian and scholar who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen. His writings and teachings on theology and philosophy were influential in academic circles of the time.
Another notable figure was Christoph KIMERLING (1754-1820), a German composer and musician who lived during the Classical period. His compositions, particularly his instrumental works, were well-received and performed in various courts and concert halls across Germany and neighboring regions.
In the 19th century, the KIMERLING name was associated with Friedrich KIMERLING (1812-1878), a prominent architect who contributed to the design and construction of several iconic buildings in Berlin and other major cities in Germany. His works were celebrated for their intricate details and innovative architectural styles.
While the KIMERLING surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and other European countries, as people migrated and settled in new regions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kimerling
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimerling, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kimerling bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Kimerling surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kimerling
Kimerling appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,136 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+14 bearers (+13.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,533 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,136 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.5%) | Up 12,533 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Kimerling surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #143,511 | 8.0% |
| Count | 104 | 118 | 13.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kimerling bearers went from 104 to 118 (+13.5% change). The surname moved up 12,533 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #143,511.
FAQ
Kimerling surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kimerling?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Kimerling. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Kimerling?
Kimerling ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Kimerling. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kimerling.
Has Kimerling become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kimerling went from 104 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 14 (+13.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Kimerling?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kimerling, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Kimerling in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kimerling appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (1.7%), Two or More Races (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Kimerling (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Kimerling mean?
A surname likely derived from a place name, possibly of German or Eastern European origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Kimerling (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Kimerling?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.