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Kemkemian and Kumkumian Family Hub!

This site is dedicated to all Kemkemian and Kumkumian family members, providing a space to connect and share our family history. I’m (Sam) Sebouh Kemkemian, the administrator of this platform. With the collective effort of Kemkemian families, I aim to construct our Family Tree, which currently spans back to 1767 over 250 years of Kemkemian Family history.

Additional family history, forums, family tree and research archives are available to registered family members only through our Register.

Acknowledgment of Original Kemkemian History Books Author.
The Kemkemian family history books were originally researched and written by Lucy‑Zabel Gmgmean, and all credit for the creation of those foundational works goes to her. Her books form the earliest documented written history of the Kemkemian and Kumkumian families.

Dedication to Late Hagop Kemkemian († 2024)
This historical research was written and compiled by Late Hagop Kemkemian (My Big Brother), who devoted himself in part translating the Kemkemian family history books, expanding, further and preserving the Kemkemian family history.
In addition to part translating sections of Lucy‑Zabel Gmgmean’s books, Hagop conducted further independent research and gathered additional information from multiple sources to enrich and extend the Kemkemian family’s historical record. Unfortanatly,Hagop passed away in late 2024 before completing his work, but his dedication, effort, and love for our family ensured that our family history was not lost.
All credit for the following research belongs solely to my big brother Late Hagop Kemkemian.

The Gmgmean's, Kemkemian's and Kumkumian's Origins

“Origin of the Gmgmean, Kemkemian and Kumkumian surname started in a place in Muş, Turkey, Varto (Kurdish: Gimgim‎, Greek: Barzanissa) is a town and district in Mush province Turkey. The inhabitants are primarily Kurds now in 2020. Area District 1,365.44 km2 (527.20 sq mi), Elevation 1,650 m (5,410 ft), Population (2012) Urban 10,275, District 33,746.

The population of Varto city is around 13,000 with another 17,000 living in the villages. In summer Varto and its villages are filled by expatriates that swell the total population well past the 75,000 mark. The largest population from Varto in Europe is in Berlin, Germany.

Gimgim city is 40 km directly north of Mush and called Varto/Gūmgūm/Gimgim this is where Kemkem come from pronunciation in French, since our surname Kemkemian since 1707 Gumgumizi. Izi means coming from Gumgum city changed to ian Gumgumian, then Kemkemian and Kumkumian.

The first settlements on the site of the district date from 1400 BC. Being part of historical Armenia, the city until the VIII century belonged to the princely dynasty of Mamikonyan. In 1242 the city was conquered by the Mongols, in 1502 - by Persia, in 1555, after the partition of Armenia, the city passed to the Ottoman Empire.

Some 150,200 Armenians were living in the district of Varto in 1914, including 600 in the town of Varto. 8 churches, 3 monasteries and 5 schools catered to them.

In June 1915 during the Armenian Genocide, a great number of Varto's Armenians were massacred in the valley of Newala Ask.”

(Sam) Sebouh Kemkemian