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Kempley Family History

Kempley Name 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


Similar surnames: Kemple, Kempler, Kepley, Temple, Kemble, Hemsley, Kemper, Kempner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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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 1880 there were 3 Kempley families living in Wisconsin. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kempley's in USA. Wisconsin had the highest population of Kempley families in 1880.
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.

What did your Kempley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Kempley. 46% of Kempley men worked as a Laborer. .

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.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    46%
  • Owner
    19%
  • Farm Hand
    19%
  • Salesman
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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 US 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 the USA, 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

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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

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