NameCensus.

UK surname

Campen

A surname derived from camping or relating to those who lived near a campsite or field.

In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Campen surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #21,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Roxwell and Watham, Little. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Havering and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Campen is 173 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.6%.

1881 census count

86

Ranked #21,449

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2002

173 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Campen had 86 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Campen surname distribution map

The map shows where the Campen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Campen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Campen over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 53 #23,739
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 86 #21,449
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 120 #20,545
1911 historical 138 #18,811
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 168 #20,252
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 173 #20,043
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 163 #20,685
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 156 #23,231
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Campens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Roxwell, Watham, Little and Waltham, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Havering, Peterborough and Castle Point. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Roxwell Essex
3 Watham, Little Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Waltham, Great Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
2 Havering 025 Havering
3 Chelmsford 009 Chelmsford
4 Peterborough 011 Peterborough
5 Castle Point 004 Castle Point

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Campen

These lists show first names that appear often with the Campen surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Campen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Campen, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Campen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Campen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Campen is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Campen is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Campen falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Campen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Campen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Campen

The surname Campen originated in the Low Countries, specifically in the regions that are now the Netherlands and Belgium, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Dutch word "campen," which means "to bend" or "to curve." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a bend in a river or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Campen can be found in the Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland (Cartulary of Holland and Zeeland), a collection of medieval documents dating back to the 13th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "van Campen," "Campen," and "de Campen."

The Campen surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan van Campen (c. 1375-1444), a Dutch architect and sculptor who is best known for his work on the Sint Janskerk (St. John's Church) in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

Another prominent figure with the Campen surname was Jacob van Campen (1595-1657), a Dutch architect and artist who designed many important buildings in Amsterdam, including the Royal Palace on Dam Square and the Westerkerk (Western Church).

In the 17th century, the Campen name also appeared in the Germanized form "von Campen." One notable bearer of this variant was Johann Rudolf von Campen (1628-1690), a German jurist and historian who served as the Chancellor of the University of Greifswald.

During the 18th century, the Campen surname was found in various regions of the Netherlands and Belgium. One notable figure from this period was Pieter van Campen (1722-1789), a Dutch painter and engraver who was known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

In the 19th century, the Campen surname spread more widely across Europe and beyond. One notable bearer of the name was Eduard Campen (1863-1932), a Dutch-born American artist and illustrator who was known for his work in the Art Nouveau style.

Throughout its history, the Campen surname has been associated with various professions, including architecture, art, law, and academia, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Campen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Campen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 48 Campens recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.65x.

County Total Index
Essex 48 28.65x
Middlesex 12 1.41x
Northamptonshire 8 10.02x
Suffolk 8 7.74x
Devon 6 3.40x
Lancashire 2 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.53x
Kent 1 0.35x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broomfield in Essex leads with 10 Campens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3846.15x.

Place Total Index
Broomfield 10 3846.15x
Pleshey 10 11111.11x
Cockfield 8 2962.96x
Burton Latimer 7 1458.33x
Willingale Spain 7 11666.67x
Paddington London 6 19.23x
Bradwell By Coggleshall 5 7142.86x
Great Waltham 5 735.29x
Little Waltham 4 2352.94x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 29.39x
Chelmsford 3 104.53x
Chelsea London 3 11.73x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 2 952.38x
Barrow In Furness 2 14.60x
Plymstock 2 217.39x
Birkenhead 1 6.70x
Hampstead London 1 7.56x
Islington London 1 1.22x
Little Harrowden 1 416.67x
Milton In Gravesend 1 23.04x
Shipley 1 22.94x
St Luke London 1 7.35x
Willingale Doe 1 833.33x
Woodford St Mary 1 526.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Campen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 10
Emily 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Eveline 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maud 1
Susanah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Campen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 8
George 5
James 5
William 4
Charles 3
Henry 2
Lewis 2
Arthur 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Harry 1
Herbit 1
Jos. 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Ross 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Campen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Campen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Campen surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Campen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Campen a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Campen surname mean?

A surname derived from camping or relating to those who lived near a campsite or field.

What does the Campen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Campen bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.