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Kempson Family History

Kempson Name 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 ‘farmstead estate’.

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


Similar surnames: Hampson, Jemison, Campion, Impson, Lampson, Kempton, Simpson, Jepson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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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 1911 there were 9 Kempson families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Kempson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kempson families in 1911.
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.

What did your Kempson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kempson. 41% of Kempson men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Kempson women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kempson were Farm Laborer and Housekeeper. .

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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    41%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Farm Operator
    10%
  • Farm Laborer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    25%
  • Seamstress
    19%
  • Stenographer
    19%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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 Canadian 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 Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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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.

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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

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