NameCensus.

UK surname

Kam

A Chinese surname meaning "bold" or "brave," or referring to a guardian god in Chinese mythology.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Kam surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Coventry and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kam is 231 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3750.0%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

2016

231 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kam had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Kam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kam surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kam 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 7 #32,070
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1901 historical 13 #32,633
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 143 #22,924
2008 modern 153 #22,132
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 204 #19,276
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 219 #18,406
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

Back to top

Where Kams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, Coventry, Camden, Barnet and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 055 Manchester
2 Coventry 042 Coventry
3 Camden 025 Camden
4 Barnet 030 Barnet
5 Kensington and Chelsea 010 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kam

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kam

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kam, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Kam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kam household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Kam is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kam is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kam falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kam is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Kam

The surname "KAM" is believed to have its origins in the Punjab region of India, where it was initially derived from the Sanskrit word "kama," meaning "desire" or "love." The name likely emerged during the early medieval period, around the 6th to 8th centuries CE.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "KAM" can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The text mentions a nobleman named Ratan Kam, who held a high-ranking position in the imperial court.

In the 17th century, the "KAM" surname was prominent among the Khatri community, a mercantile and trading caste found in northern India. Historical records from this era indicate that several influential merchants and traders bore this surname, including Gopal Ram Kam, a wealthy spice trader who established a trading outpost in Surat.

During the British colonial period in India, the "KAM" surname gained further recognition. One notable figure was Raja Ranjit Kam (1780-1839), a prominent Sikh leader and military commander who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In the 19th century, the "KAM" surname also appeared in the historical records of the East India Company. Gokul Chand Kam (1832-1891) was a renowned scholar and writer who served as a translator and interpreter for the British administration in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

Another prominent individual with the "KAM" surname was Lala Hansraj Kam (1856-1938), a renowned educationist and social reformer from Punjab. He founded several educational institutions, including the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College in Lahore (now in Pakistan).

While the "KAM" surname has its roots in India, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the Punjab region and the rich cultural heritage of northern India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kam 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Kams recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 6.85x
Kent 2 10.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fulham London in Middlesex leads with 4 Kams recorded in 1881 and an index of 470.59x.

Place Total Index
Fulham London 4 470.59x
Eltham 2 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Henrietta 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kam households.

Occupation Count
Brewers Cooper 1
Plaisterer 1

FAQ

Kam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Kam surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Kam a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Kam surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "bold" or "brave," or referring to a guardian god in Chinese mythology.

What does the Kam map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kam 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.