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Origins of the Campbell surname

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What does the name Campbell mean?

Campbell is a Scottish surname (where it is still the 7th most prevalent surname), also found in Ireland due to the colonisation of the island by Scots in the 1600s and 1700s. Campbell is derived from the Gaelic 'cam beul' (crooked mouth) and is thought to have come about as a nickname and refer to the descendants of somebody who had this particular feature, potentially an early chief of the Campbell clan. The surname Campbell could also be used by those who had no blood relation but lived on or near the lands of the clan, to show their duty towards their liege lord.

Alternative variations of the name Campbell

Campbell, Camble, Campbill, Cambell, Campbel

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Where do most Campbells live?

In 1921, most Campbells lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Campbells

How common is your surname?

77th most common surname in the UK

We have 391,000 records for the Campbell surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Campbells most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Campbells.

What are the most common Campbell first names?

  • John
  • James
  • Mary
  • Margaret

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Campbell family members

Common jobs for Campbells

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Campbells in 1921
Domestic Servant

2,056

Dressmaker

1,992

Housekeeper

1,468

F S

1,457

General Servant

1,076

Common Male occupations for Campbells in 1921
Coal Miner

2,185

Fisherman

2,146

General Labourer

1,577

Farmer

1,469

Tailor

1,276

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 500,000 family trees with the Campbell surname

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