Kamp History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
Germany

The name Kamp comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from," which was originally an indicator of land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Kamp family originally lived on or near a flat area of land which is derived from the Latin word campus, which referred to an enclosed area of flat land. It is also derived from the Latin word champhus, which means battle. Thus, the original bearer originally lived on a flat piece of land, which was either the sight of a great battle or was as level as a battlefield.

Early Origins of the Kamp family

The surname Kamp was first found in Westphalia, where the family became noted for its many branches within the region, many houses acquiring a status and influence which rivaled that of the landed aristocracy. In their later history some branches were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they distinguished themselves through their contributions to the social, political, and economic developments of the nation.

Early History of the Kamp family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kamp research. Another 279 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1163, 1201, 1259, 1272, 1336, 1373, 1380, 1515, 1609, 1660, 1675, 1746, 1747 and 1818 are included under the topic Early Kamp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kamp Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Kamp include Camp, Campe, Campen, Camper, Camperer, Campere, Campner, Kamp, Kampe and many more.

Early Notables of the Kamp family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kamp Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kamp Ranking

In the United States, the name Kamp is the 8,916^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Kamp is ranked the 258^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,373 people with that name. 2

Kamp migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Kamp Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Kamp, who landed in Virginia in 1656 3

Kamp Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Koenraet Kamp, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Adam Kamp, who arrived in Maryland in 1714 3
Marie Magdalene Kamp, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1729
Rudolph Kamp, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 3
Johan Adam Kamp, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kamp Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anna Kamp, aged 25, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 3
Jan Kamp, aged 30, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 3
Peter Kamp, aged 27, who arrived in New York, NY in 1848 3
Reindert Woore Kamp, aged 22, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 3
Jacob Kamp, who arrived in Iowa in 1854 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kamp (post 1700) +

John X. Van de Kamp, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, 1966-67 4
John K. Van de Kamp, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1988 4
David Kamp (b. 1982), German composer
Norbert Kamp, German university administrator and former mediaeval history professor
Christine Kamp (b. 1966), Dutch organist & pianist
Ragnar Kamp, Swedish-born, Canadian curler and World Champion
Randy Kamp (b. 1953), Canadian politician
Henricus Gregorius "Henk" Kamp (b. 1952), Dutch politician

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html