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

Kimpel, 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 Kimpel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kimpel in America

Kimpel is the 18385th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kimpel surname appeared 1,506 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 Kimpel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kimpel 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 Kimpel

The surname KIMPEL is of German origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Hessen, which was a former state in central Germany. The name is thought to be derived from the Middle German word "kumpel," which means a comrade or companion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KIMPEL surname can be found in the town of Marburg, located in the modern-day state of Hessen. In a document dated 1382, a man named Johannes Kimpel is mentioned as a resident of the town. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the KIMPEL surname began to spread to other parts of Germany, particularly in the southern regions. It is believed that the name may have been adopted by families living in the vicinity of salt mines, as the word "kumpel" was often used to refer to miners who worked together in close-knit teams.

One notable bearer of the KIMPEL surname was Hans Kimpel, a German painter and engraver who lived from around 1480 to 1537. He is known for his intricate woodcut illustrations, which adorned various religious texts and manuscripts of the time.

In the 17th century, a branch of the KIMPEL family settled in the town of Kleinlinden, near the city of Giessen in Hessen. Here, they established a successful farming and agricultural business that lasted for several generations. A prominent member of this family was Johann Kimpel (1642-1718), who served as the mayor of Kleinlinden for many years.

Another significant figure bearing the KIMPEL name was Friedrich Kimpel (1793-1867), a German writer and journalist who was active during the Romantic period. He is best known for his poems and literary works that celebrated the beauty of the German countryside and promoted a sense of national pride.

As the KIMPEL surname spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Kimpell, Kümmel, and Kümmel. However, the original spelling of KIMPEL remained the most common form throughout its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kimpel

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

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

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

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