Surname Kempkes - Meaning and Origin
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Kempkes: What does the surname Kempkes mean?
The last name Kempkes is a patronymic surname derived from the Germanic personal name Kempke, which was originally a diminutive of the given name Kempt. The name Kempke likely originated as a pet form of Konrad.
The name Kempkes may have originated as a sign of affection, denoting someone as 'Little Kramer'. In German, the suffix '-es' is attached as an affectionate diminutive to personal names and is equivalent to the common English suffixes '-ie' and '-yd'.
Today, the Kempkes surname is associated with South Germany—particularly its southern regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The Kempkes family name is thought to have derived from an individual who once resided in these regions; it is unknown whether the Kempkes family member was a native of the area or descended from immigrants.
The Kempkes surname likely dates back to the middle ages and may have originated from these lands centuries ago. Further research into the Kempkes family history is necessary to trace the family tree and determine the true birthplace of the surname.
Order DNA origin analysisKempkes: Where does the name Kempkes come from?
The last name Kempkes is most common in Germany, though it is found in other European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The prevalence of the surname is largely concentrated in northwestern Germany, including the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Kempkes name is found most frequently in two cities: Duisburg, where it is the 28th most common last name and is especially clustered around the city's city center, and Dortmund, where it is the 49th most popular last name. In Lower Saxony, it is most heavily concentrated in the region of Harz, where it is the forth most common name. The cities of Goslar and Wolfenbüttel in the region also show a high concentration of Kempkes.
In Schleswig-Holstein, the Kempkes name is most popular in the city of Kiel, where it is the 21st most common last name. The towns of Oldenburg, Norden, and Husum, which are located in the northern portion of the state, also have a high rate of the surname.
Outside of Germany, the Kempkes name is found predominantly in the United States, Canada, and Australia. In the United States, the highest concentration of Kempkes can be seen in the Midwestern and Western states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and Montana. In Canada, Canadian Kempkes are most common in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Lastly, Kempkes is most prominent in Australia in the states of Victoria and Queensland.
Variations of the surname Kempkes
Kempkes is a Frisian patronymic surname which means 'son of Kemp', and can be found in its original Frisian spelling Kempkes, along with various Dutch spelling variants such as Kempes, Kempess, Klemps, and Klempses. It is also found as Kemp Schumer, a variation of the name indicating a 'young Kemp'.
The name is especially common in Netherlands, but is also found in Germany, Belgium, and other parts of Europe. The variations of the name are also found amongst Dutch emigrants who settled in various parts of the world, such as South Africa, Indonesia, Suriname, and the United States.
The name can be found in various combined versions such as Kempkens-de Jong and de Kempkes-van der Wal. It can also become augmented with other suffixes and prefixes, such as van der Kempkes and de Kempken.
There are also some associated surnames with similar origins, such as Kemp, Kemper, de Kemp, Kempema, Kempers, Kempher, Kempkens, Van Kemp, and Kempkes-ten Have.
Finally, the surname Kempkes has also been sometimes Anglicized by immigrants as Camps, Campsos or Campsies.
Famous people with the name Kempkes
- Tessa Kempkes: Dutch Paralympic Swimmer
- Colton Kempkes: Canadian Soccer Player
- Aiden Kempkes: Canadian Luge Athlete
- Maria Kempkes: German X-treme Biathlete
- Maina Kempkes: Dutch Photographer
- Alfred Kempkes: German Football Coach
- Jeroen Kempkes: Dutch Multimedia Designer
- Bernd Kempkes: German Politician
- Carmilla Kempkes: Dutch Visual Artist
- Gary Kempkes: American Businessman