Explore the Family Name Kemp
The meaning of Kemp
1. English, Scottish, Dutch, and North German: status name for a champion, Middle English and Middle Low German kempe. In the Middle Ages a champion was a professional fighter on behalf of others; for example the King’s Champion, at the coronation, had the duty of issuing a general challenge to battle to anyone who denied the king’s right to the throne. The Middle English word corresponds to Old English cempa and Old Norse kempa ‘warrior’; both these go back to ancient Germanic campo ‘warrior’, which is the source of the Dutch and North German name, corresponding to High German Kampf. 2. Dutch and North German (North Rhine-Westphalia): from the personal name Kempe, Kampe; see 1 above. 3. Dutch and Flemish: metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or processed hemp, from Middle Dutch canep ‘hemp’. 4. Dutch (Van der Kemp): Brabantine variant of Van der Kamp, a topographic name from Middle Dutch kamp ‘enclosed, fenced, or hedged piece of land, field’ (from Latin campus ‘plain’).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kemp in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kemp has seen fluctuating popularity over the years. In 2000, Kemp ranked as the 698th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to 753rd, marking a decrease in rank of 7.88 percent. Despite this drop in popularity rank, the actual number of individuals with the Kemp surname increased from 44,701 in 2000 to 46,146 in 2010, a rise of 3.23 percent. However, the proportion of Kemps per 100,000 people fell by 5.61 percent during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #698 | #753 | -7.88% |
| Count | 44,701 | 46,146 | 3.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 16.57 | 15.64 | -5.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kemp
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides an insight into the changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kemp. From 2000 to 2010, there was an increase in the proportions of Asian/Pacific Islanders, those identifying with two or more races, Hispanics, Blacks, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives who carry the Kemp surname. Specifically, the Hispanic representation saw the largest increase at 54.48 percent, followed by Asian/Pacific Islander at 32.43 percent and those identifying with two or more races at 29.24 percent. The proportion of Whites with the Kemp surname decreased by 2.77 percent, yet they still constitute the majority ethnicity for this surname at 71.72 percent in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 73.76% | 71.72% | -2.77% |
| Black | 22.17% | 22.83% | 2.98% |
| Two or More Races | 1.71% | 2.21% | 29.24% |
| Hispanic | 1.34% | 2.07% | 54.48% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.64% | 0.69% | 7.81% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.49% | 32.43% |
Kemp ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Kemp is British & Irish, which comprises 51.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.0%) and Eastern European (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 51.1% |
| French & German | 23.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.6% |
| Other | 21.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Kemp
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Kemp have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.30% |
What Kemp haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Kemp is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS2243 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Weber, Knight, Ross, Schmidt, Dennis, Miller, Becker, Wagner, Mueller, Weaver.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kemp surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Kemp have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Kemp" Surname 39.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Kemp" Surname 31.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kemp" Surname 26.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Kemp" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kemp?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Kemp are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition