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Kempson Family History

Kempson Surname Meaning

English (mainly West Midlands): variant of Kempston a habitational name from Kempston (Bedfordshire) named from an earlier placename Cembes (derived from British cambo- ‘crooked bent’).

Old English tūn means ‘farmstead estate’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kempson family from?

You can see how Kempson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kempson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kempson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 135 Kempson families living in Staffordshire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Kempson's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Kempson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kempson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kempson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kempson. 16% of Kempson men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Kempson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kempson were Carpenter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Kempson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Cowman
    12%
  • Incapacitated
    12%
  • Carpenter
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Kempson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Kempson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kempson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kempson

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Kempson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kempson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kempson. For the veterans among your Kempson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kempson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kempson family history

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What is the average Kempson lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Kempson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Kempson in 1956 was 57, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kempson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kempson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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