Kimball
What is the origin of the last name Kimball?
Meaning and origin
The last name Kimball is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Cynebald, which combines the elements "cyne" meaning royal or noble, and "bald" meaning bold or brave. Over time, this personal name evolved into various forms such as Kynebald and Kynabell before finally settling as Kimball. The name Kimball was introduced to America through English immigrants and has since become relatively common, particularly in New England. Its historical significance and genealogical roots make it a fascinating surname to explore.
The longer story
The last name Kimball is of English origin. It is classified as a surname of both occupational and locational origin.
The occupational origin of the name Kimball is derived from the Middle English word "kemelin" or "kemeling," which was used to refer to a person who was a maker or seller of combs. The name is derived from the Old English word "camb," meaning "comb."
The locational origin of the name Kimball refers to people who took their surname from places named Kimbolton or Kimblesworth in England. Kimbolton, a village in Cambridgeshire, appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Chenmulitone." Kimblesworth, a small village in County Durham, is recorded as "Caumbeswrde" in 1168.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#1,544
Kimball was the 1,544th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 23,293 people, about 7.5 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Kimball
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Kimball is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.