NameCensus.

UK surname

Kemish

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Kemish surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 206, ranked #19,183, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Eling and Boldre, Brockenhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, Derbyshire Dales and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kemish is 261 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.5%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

206

2016, ranked #19,183

Peak year

1911

261 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kemish had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016, ranked #19,183.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 261 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Kemish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kemish surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kemish 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 246 #15,445
1998 modern 254 #15,508
1999 modern 254 #15,638
2000 modern 244 #16,004
2001 modern 233 #16,260
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 222 #16,983
2006 modern 209 #17,784
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 204 #18,403
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 207 #19,259
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 206 #19,183

Geography

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Where Kemishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Eling, Boldre, Brockenhurst, Sherfield English and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Test Valley, Derbyshire Dales and New Forest. 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 Romsey Extra, Michelmersh Hampshire
2 Eling Hampshire
3 Boldre, Brockenhurst Hampshire
4 Sherfield English Hampshire
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 013 Test Valley
2 Test Valley 011 Test Valley
3 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
4 New Forest 007 New Forest
5 New Forest 008 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kemish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kemish

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Kemish surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Kemish household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kemish is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kemish is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kemish falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kemish is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Kemish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kemish 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. Hampshire leads with 95 Kemishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.11x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 95 32.11x
Middlesex 16 1.11x
Channel Islands 14 32.73x
Norfolk 6 2.70x
Warwickshire 6 1.65x
Suffolk 3 1.71x
Northamptonshire 2 1.47x
Oxfordshire 2 2.24x
Wiltshire 2 1.57x
Dorset 1 1.06x
Midlothian 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Stoneham in Hampshire leads with 16 Kemishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 249.22x.

Place Total Index
South Stoneham 16 249.22x
Eling 15 500.00x
Millbrook 11 147.65x
Islington London 10 7.15x
Sherfield English 10 7142.86x
Bramshaw 8 2105.26x
St Brelade 8 727.27x
Aston 6 5.99x
Watton 6 857.14x
Brockenhurst 5 980.39x
Southampton St Mary 5 26.88x
St Helier 5 35.92x
St Mary Kalendar 5 806.45x
Hordle 4 784.31x
Bishopstoke 3 394.74x
Framlingham 3 240.00x
Michelmersh 3 526.32x
St Thomas Winchester 3 143.54x
Clerkenwell London 2 5.87x
Culworth 2 869.57x
Kensington London 2 2.49x
Neithrop 2 66.67x
Portsea 2 3.45x
St Faith Winchester 2 144.93x
West Wellow 2 689.66x
Lyndhurst 1 123.46x
Poole St James 1 28.09x
Romsey Extra 1 56.82x
South Leith 1 4.60x
St John Winchester 1 161.29x
St Martin 1 38.17x
St Marylebone London 1 1.30x
St Pancras London 1 0.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 5
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Lydia 3
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Harriett 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Carrie 1
Eliza 1
Emmaline 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
H.M. 1
Hariyeh 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Mariah 1
Priscilla 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 6
Frederick 5
James 5
John 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Alexander 1
Banjamine 1
Benjamin 1
Dan 1
Daniel 1
Job 1
Josiah 1
Luthia 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Seward 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Kemish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kemish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Kemish surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kemish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016. That gives Kemish a modern rank of #19,183.

What does the Kemish map show?

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