Kempen Family

My name is Willem Kempen.

I am of the 6th Generation of this South African family.

I live in Australia and have been researching my direct family ascendancy since my interest was rekindled after the death of my mother in September 1999. I began my research in 2000 whilst on a visit to South Africa. I travelled to my hometown of Victoria West, in South Africa, where I visited the cemetery as well as farms in the district to record the graves of ancestors and I also visited the very well appointed Victoria West Museum where I gathered more valuable information.

Starting from scratch in this field is very daunting, but with the help of the Internet I was soon to meet up in cyberspace with a family member, Belinda Bacon, now living in the UK. She forwarded her and her former husband, Francois Greeff 's research of the KEMPEN family to me, and I in turn have combined my family knowledge with hers. Her contribution comprises about 50% of this research and covers the family within South Africa from 1798. I cannot verify her research, so take this with a grain of salt. As I am doing my research in South Africa and Europe from within Australia, I rely on the Internet to provide me with clues. A greater amount of my research is first hand knowledge of the families with whom I have had contact over the years. I am doing my best to substantiate my research but not to the degree of professional genealogists. This is, after all, only a hobby!!

My research commences in Germany. I have accessed my German research data from the files of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) who have put all of this information on the Internet and on Microfilm. Owing to poor spelling standards and literacy skills as well as a confusion of languages, especially early Germanic and Roman Latin, there are various ways proffered for writing surnames.

KEMPEN GENEALOGY

The surname KEMPEN originated in middle EUROPE towards the end of the 12th Century.

Soundex names which may or may not be affiliated to KEMPEN are CAMPERT, KAMPERT, KAMPERS, KEMPER, KEMPERS, KEMP, KEMPERMAN, KEMPKEN, KEMPSEN, KEMPTEN, KEMPTON, KEMPENAAR, KEMPIN, VAN KEMPEN, VON KEMPEN and KEMPAAINEN.

Popular belief is that the name KEMPEN originated as a derivative of CAMPUS. (Latin for field).

The city of KEMPEN in the province of Nordrhein Westfalen, Germany, was established around the year 1186 but only became a recognised city by the latter part of the 13th Century.

The most famous person born in the town of KEMPEN was THOMAS `a KEMPIS, 1380 to 1471, a Priest and writer, who has been attributed to being the author of the book, IMITATION OF CHRIST.

There are four more towns in Germany with the name of KEMPEN.

There is also the locality of DE KEMPEN in the northern part of BELGIUM.

The surname KEMPEN is prominant in Germany, The Netherlands, France and Belgium.

There is also a notion that the name is associated by derivative to the warrior like tribe, the CIMBRI, who, in the year 2115 BP, defeated the Roman Army. The CIMBRI started moving south from the Jutland Peninsula (Denmark) around 2120 BP into central Europe looking for better land.
They and their allies, the Teutons, clashed with the Celts and later the Roman Army. They won another two battles against the Roman Army before being crushed at the battle of Vercellae in 2103 BP. The remnants of the CIMBRI then settled in what is now South Western Germany and also Northern Italy. Further research reveals that the CIMBRI may in it's turn be a derivative of KHUMRI or The House of OMRI which is part of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel dating back to 3500 BP. Scholars of antiquity have discussed this matter at length and there are some very strong opinions for and against.

By the mid 1600's religious and political upheaval in Europe saw the beginning of emigration to newly " discovered or colonised " countries.
There are records of the surname KEMPEN at the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE as early as 1660. Today the KEMPEN surname is to be found in SOUTH AFRICA, USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND and continuing on in EUROPE.

THE CAMPERT/KAMPERT/ KAMPERS/KEMPER/ FAMILY in Germany

CAMPERT to KEMPER. The reason behind this name change is unknown.
It would seem that it was mainly down to the interpretation by the scribe who was in charge of the record keeping on that day. Literacy skills of the Middle Ages are questionable as the changes were occurring constantly due to political upheaval. Many scribes still clung to the Latin version of transcribing recorded text and it seemed to be up to their interpretation of what was written.It is also a known fact that the members of the LDS who researched these documents put their own interpretations in discemination the recorded history.

The CAMPERT/KAMPERT name originates in The Netherlands and is first recorded in history in 1308 when Gizebrecht Campaertof Amersvoort is fined for being an accessory to murder. Not a very auspicious beginning !!

Kamp in the Dutch language means a piece of land, a place to live, being of that place or a geographical feature. Kampert is the occupation of being a warrior or fighter, protecting that land.

The Campert/Kampert /Kampers /Kemper surname comes from the Middle Ages region of Westphalia which covered from Gelderland in The Netherlands to Nordrhein-Westfalen in Prussia.

At the SANKT LAMBERTUS KATOLISCE KIRCH in ASCHEBERG, Westfalen, Preussen the following ceremonies took place.

JOHANN KAMPERT and ENGEL BAECKS christened their children

Johan Henrich 3 June 1668
Johannes 16 October 1670

JOHAN HENRICH KAMPERT married CATHARINA PELMANS on 6 April 1693

Their children were :

Henricus christened 5 September 1694
Christophorus christened 12 December 1695
Wilhelmus christened 6 November 1701
Catharina christened 20 May 1704
Anna Maria christened 3 May 1708
Gertrudt christened 9 September 1711

From here the ceremonies take place at the KATOLISCHE KIRCH in the town of NORF, Rheinland,Preussen.

NORF is a mining town where Aluminium is mined and smelted.
It lies about 5km south east of the satellite city of NEUSS, which lies 10km west from the industrial city of D�SSELDORF CHRISTOPORUS(CAMPERT) KEMPERmarried CATHARINA SCHWARTZ on 25 September 1710. He was only 14 years and 9 months of age !!! Here the first name change occurs.

Marriage of Christophorum Kemper and Catharinam Schwartz
Marriage of Christophorum Kemper and Catharinam Schwartz.
 
Copy of microfilmed records 1693-1788 at Katolische Church, Norf, Rheinland, Preussen.
 
 
Their children were:
Elizabeth christened 11 April 1712 in Norf
Gerardus christened 23 January 1715 in Norf
Henricus christened 29 November 1716 in Norf
Joannes Henric christened 16 March 1719 in Norf
Godefridus christened 20 June 1723 in Norf
Miriam christened 18 April 1728 in Norf

GERARDUS KEMPER married HELENA DRESEN (christened 7 February 1722. The daughter of Adamus Dresen and Caecelia Gaertners)

 
Record of marriage between Gerardum Kemper and Helenam Dresen 
Copy of microfilmed records 1693-1788 of Katolische Kirch, Norf. Record of marriage between Gerardum Kemper and Helenam Dresen.


Their children were:

Jacobus christened 8 April 1744 in Norf
Joannes christened 1 September 1746 in Norf
Sybilla Catharina christened 7 February 1749 in Norf
Henricus christened March 1751 in Norf
Coecilia christened 7 November 1752 in Norf
Coecilia christened 3 November 1753 in Norf
Adamus christened 3 December 1756 in Norf
Anna Christina christened 29 September 1759 in Norf
Mathias christened 23 March 1762 in Norf
Wilhelmus christened 26 May 1765 in Norf
Henricus christened 16 April 1771 in Norf.

My thanks go to the following institutions and persons for their research contributions:


If you would like to contribute to this family tree please feel free to contact me at willem@kempen.id.au I would also ask for photographs of family members for inclusion within this website to keep the records updated. Any stories your parents or grandparents might have told you about the life and times or family members would also be greatly appreciated for inclusion.

This genealogical data is constantly upgraded as new information is researched.

Updated 2 February 2010

Alldressedup

Afrikaans

Afrikaans sprekende familielede, vriende, kennisse en mede navorsers is baie welkom om in Afrikaans met my te korrespondeer. Skryf gerus aan my by willem@kempen.id.au Ek vra ook na fotos van familielede wat ek by the webtuiste kan insluit en ook staaltjies van die tye van familielede wat jul ouers of grootouers aan jul oorvertel het.

Hierdie geniealogiese data woord gereeld opgedateer met nuwe navorsing.


Nuutste byvoeging 2 Februarie 2010