UK surname
Derived from the Polish place name Kamińsk, meaning "of Kamińsk," a habitational surname.
In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Kaminsky surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 53, ranked #34,727, down from #32,581 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Willesden, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kaminsky is 113 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 562.5%.
1881 census count
8
Ranked #32,581
Modern count
53
2016, ranked #34,727
Peak year
1911
113 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kaminsky surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kaminsky surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | historical | 6 | #33,230 |
| 1881 | historical | 8 | #32,581 |
| 1891 | historical | 5 | #33,939 |
| 1901 | historical | 47 | #28,929 |
| 1911 | historical | 113 | #21,168 |
| 1997 | modern | 46 | #33,077 |
| 1998 | modern | 54 | #32,518 |
| 1999 | modern | 56 | #32,461 |
| 2000 | modern | 62 | #31,939 |
| 2001 | modern | 56 | #32,379 |
| 2002 | modern | 51 | #33,193 |
| 2003 | modern | 52 | #33,160 |
| 2004 | modern | 50 | #33,566 |
| 2005 | modern | 48 | #33,932 |
| 2006 | modern | 46 | #34,415 |
| 2007 | modern | 48 | #34,488 |
| 2008 | modern | 48 | #34,629 |
| 2009 | modern | 53 | #34,481 |
| 2010 | modern | 51 | #34,773 |
| 2011 | modern | 43 | #35,228 |
| 2012 | modern | 51 | #34,756 |
| 2013 | modern | 49 | #34,952 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 53 | #34,726 |
| 2016 | modern | 53 | #34,727 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Willesden, St Pancras, Manchester, Liverpool and Tynemouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willesden | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Tynemouth | Northumberland |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kaminsky surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kaminsky, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kaminsky surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kaminsky household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kaminsky is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kaminsky is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kaminsky, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kaminsky is of Polish-Jewish origin, derived from the Hebrew word "Kamin" meaning "priest" or "minister." It likely emerged in the 16th or 17th century among Jewish communities in Poland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1765 census of Krakow, where a family by the name of Kaminsky is listed as residing in the Jewish quarter. The name may have originated as a designation for those who served in religious roles within their communities.
Over time, variations in spelling emerged, such as Kaminski, Kaminskiy, and Kamensky, reflecting the different regions and languages in which the name was adopted. Some scholars suggest the name may also be linked to the town of Kamenets-Podolsky, now in Ukraine, where a significant Jewish population once resided.
In the 19th century, notable individuals bearing the name Kaminsky included Avrom Ber Kaminsky (1808-1857), a renowned Hebrew scholar and author from Vilna, and Moses Kaminsky (1828-1899), a prominent rabbi and leader of the Jewish community in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Other notable figures include Vitaly Kaminsky (1892-1935), a Russian revolutionary and Bolshevik leader; Grigory Kaminsky (1895-1938), a Soviet military commander during the Russian Civil War; and Ilya Kaminsky (born 1977), a celebrated Ukrainian-American poet and author of the acclaimed collection "Deaf Republic."
Historically, the name Kaminsky has been associated with various professions, from religious leaders and scholars to military figures and artists, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried this surname.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kaminsky surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 4 Kaminskys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 4 | 5.13x |
| Northumberland | 3 | 25.84x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 1.29x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 4 Kaminskys recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.99x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bethnal Green London | 4 | 117.99x |
| Elswick | 2 | 215.05x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 53.76x |
| Tynemouth | 1 | 161.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kaminsky surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kaminsky surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Kaminsky households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| Shipbrokers Clerk | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Kaminsky surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 53 in 2016. That gives Kaminsky a modern rank of #34,727.
Derived from the Polish place name Kamińsk, meaning "of Kamińsk," a habitational surname.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kaminsky bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.