Kamps History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Kamps 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". It originally indicated land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Kamps 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 Kamps family

The surname Kamps 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 Kamps family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kamps 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 Kamps History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kamps 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 Kamps include Camp, Campe, Campen, Camper, Camperer, Campere, Campner, Kamp, Kampe and many more.

Early Notables of the Kamps family

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

Kamps Ranking

In the United States, the name Kamps is the 11,847^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Kamps is ranked the 754^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,543 people with that name. 2

Kamps 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:

Kamps Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bernh Heinr Joseph Kamps, who landed in St Louis, Missouri in 1844 3
J Kamps, aged 26, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 3
Janje Napier Kamps, aged 20, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 3
Jantje Kamps, aged 28, who arrived in New York, NY in 1848 3
Lammeckc Kamps, aged 30, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kamps (post 1700) +

Jeanne Kamps Lindwall, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Evanston, Illinois, 2009 4

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 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html