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Kempley Family History

Kempley Surname Meaning

Perhaps from Kemplah in Guisborough (NR Yorks) which is recorded as Kempclive in the 13th century and Kempley in 1539.

The place-name derives from the Old Scandinavian personal name Kempi + Old Scandinavian klif or Old English clif ‘cliff bank’.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Kempley family from?

You can see how Kempley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kempley family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Kempley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 38 Kempley families living in Yorkshire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Kempley's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Kempley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kempley 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 Kempley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Upholsterer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kempley. 60% of Kempley men worked as an Upholsterer and 53% of Kempley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kempley were Labourer N A C and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Kempley | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Upholsterer
    60%
  • Labourer N A C
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    53%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    18%
  • Household Duties
    18%
  • Housekeeper
    12%

What Kempley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Kempley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kempley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kempley

Passenger Lists

There are 125 immigration records available for the last name Kempley. 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.

View all Kempley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 90 military records available for the last name Kempley. For the veterans among your Kempley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kempley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kempley family history

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What is the average Kempley lifespan?

Between 1970 and 2003, in the United States, Kempley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Kempley in 1970 was 91, and 81 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kempley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kempley 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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