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Kem Family History

Kem Surname Meaning

German: occupational name for a comb maker from Middle High German kam ‘comb’ (see Kamm). Alternatively a variant of Kemme.

Cambodian: written កែម corresponding to the Khmer word meaning e.g. ‘to improve’.

Cambodian: written កឹម unexplained.

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


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Where is the Kem family from?

You can see how Kem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kem family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kem families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 15 Kem families living in Saskatchewan. This was about 54% of all the recorded Kem's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Kem families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kem 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 Kem ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cook was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Kem. 100% of Kem men worked as a Cook.

View Census Data for Kem | 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 1921

  • Cook
    100%

What Kem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Kem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kem

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Kem. 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 Kem immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kem family history

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What is the average Kem lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Kem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Kem in 1950 was 62, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kem

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kem 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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