Surname Kampinga - Meaning and Origin

Kampinga: What does the surname Kampinga mean?

Kampinga is a Dutch surname, derived from the region of Kampen on the IJssel river in the eastern Netherlands. The word “Kampen” likely originated from the Frisian words “kam” and “pei”, meaning “wall” and “bank” respectively. The original residents of Kampen were said to have built dykes and walls as defenses against the constantly shifting waters of the IJssel river.

The suffix “-inga” is derived from the Latin word “ingamus” which means “dwellers” or “inhabitants”. Therefore, the surname Kampinga is interpreted to mean “the dwellers or inhabitants at Kampen”. This was a popular way to identify individuals living in the region, particularly in the medieval period.

Alternative spellings of the surname abound, including Kampink, Kampinge, Kamping, Kampingen, Kamminga, and Kampenga, among others. Today, this surname can be found throughout the Netherlands and overseas in places with heavy Dutch immigration, such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. Many famous people share the last name Kampinga, such as the Dutch jazz drummer Arjen Kampinga and former Dutch Prime Minister Willem Kok.

Kampinga: Where does the name Kampinga come from?

The last name Kampinga is originally of Dutch origin and is most common today in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is believed to be derived from a place name Kampen, which is located in the province of Overijssel in the Netherlands. In the United States, the surnames Kampinga and Kampenga are found primarily in the Midwest, most notably in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Additionally, the surname Kampenga is also present in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio.

In the Netherlands, the Kampinga surname is traditionally from Friesland, a province in the north of the country. It is likely that its origins are related to the history of the Frisian tribe, which dates back to before 400 A.D. It is also possible that the surname is related to the term ‘kampen’, which means ‘ending’ or ‘completion’ in Frisian. The Kampinga surname was also popular in the province of Limburg.

The name Kampinga is found in various forms throughout Europe including Campagna, Kampagne, Kammenga, and Kompagna. It is believed to have originated from the German word ‘kampe’, meaning ‘to camp’. The surname is still relatively common in the Netherlands today, and it is likely that its global prevalence will continue long into the future.

Variations of the surname Kampinga

The surname Kampinga is the most commonly found spelling of the surname, but other variants exist. Two of the most common spellings are Kampenga and Kampenja, with the occasional Kampeng or Campenga. Although all of these surnames are derived from the same origin, the exact origin is uncertain.

The Kampenja spelling could be derived from the Dutch language. Kampenja, when translated into English, means 'camp-out, overnight stay'. This could be related to the Dutch word 'kamp', which means 'field' or 'camp'. It is also possible that the name is derived from a location in the Netherlands, the city of Kampen, close to Zwolle in Overijsel.

The Kampenga spelling can be the result of a transcription error, as Dutch-speaking people sometimes use the letter 'a' for the sound of a short 'e', hence Kampenga for Kampenja.

The surname Kampenga or Campenga could also have originated from the Flemish word 'kempen', which means 'to struggle' or 'to fight'. This is a more distant possibility, since the spelling of the surname does not reflect the same pronunciation as 'kempen'.

Another theory is that the surname originated from Germany. The surname may have derived from 'Kampfen', which is the German word for 'to fight'. This could have occurred with immigrants who went to the United States, where changes to surnames occur frequently.

In short, the surname Kampinga has a number of variants, spellings and origins. It is quite possible that it is derived from a Dutch and/or German term with the same root, but the exact origin remains uncertain.

Famous people with the name Kampinga

• Johannes Kampinga: Dutch sculptor and writer who specialized in figurative sculptures that depicted the landscape of West Friesland.
• CJ Kampinga: a professional basketball player from the Netherlands.
• Roel Kampinga: Dutch former football player who represented the Dutch national team and a Member of Parliament for the Dutch Labour Party in the 1980s.
• Maria Kampinga: Dutch TV presenter, journalist and writer.
• Alfred Kampinga: a German researcher and professor of economics who conducted research on long-term economic growth.
• Willem Kampinga: a Dutch biologist and biophysicist who specialized in the study of protein structure and enzyme function.
• Bianca Kampinga: Dutch writer and researcher specialized in religious studies.
• Huibert Kampinga: a Dutch-American entrepreneur and investor known for his investments in renewable energy.
• Corrie Kampinga: Dutch actress and female rights activist best known for her roles in feminist theatre.
• Nathalie Kampinga: Dutch lecturer and writer, notable for her research in postcolonial feminism and diversity issues.

Other surnames

Kamping