NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilbey

A surname derived from a place name in Scotland or Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 260 people recorded with the Kilbey surname, ranking it #10,781 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 466, ranked #10,542, up from #10,781 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Epping Forest and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilbey is 525 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.2%.

1881 census count

260

Ranked #10,781

Modern count

466

2016, ranked #10,542

Peak year

1999

525 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilbey had 260 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,781 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 466 in 2016, ranked #10,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 456 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Kilbey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilbey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilbey 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 78 #19,840
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 260 #10,781
1891 historical 219 #13,974
1901 historical 332 #10,863
1911 historical 456 #8,409
1997 modern 498 #9,324
1998 modern 510 #9,448
1999 modern 525 #9,307
2000 modern 505 #9,561
2001 modern 501 #9,448
2002 modern 502 #9,601
2003 modern 495 #9,557
2004 modern 493 #9,605
2005 modern 479 #9,737
2006 modern 465 #9,988
2007 modern 470 #10,012
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 480 #10,162
2010 modern 492 #10,178
2011 modern 496 #10,012
2012 modern 468 #10,366
2013 modern 480 #10,331
2014 modern 479 #10,417
2015 modern 469 #10,500
2016 modern 466 #10,542

Geography

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Where Kilbeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, St John Hackney, St Marylebone and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Epping Forest, Southend-on-Sea and Cotswold. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 008 Bradford
2 Epping Forest 015 Epping Forest
3 Southend-on-Sea 014 Southend-on-Sea
4 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
5 Cotswold 004 Cotswold

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilbey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilbey

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Kilbey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Kilbey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Kilbey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kilbey is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kilbey falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kilbey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Kilbey

The surname Kilbey originated in Scotland, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "cill" meaning "church" and "baidh" meaning "grove" or "thicket," suggesting an association with a church located near a wooded area.

The earliest known record of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Johannes de Kylbeyth" from Forfarshire is considered one of the earliest written instances of the Kilbey name.

In the 16th century, variations of the name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Kilbey spelling. One notable mention is from the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1548, which references a "Thomas Kilbey" from Ayrshire.

During the 17th century, the name was associated with the village of Kilbey, located in the parish of Glenisla, Angus. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Kilbey surname was John Kilbey, born around 1620 in Angus, Scotland. He is mentioned in the parish records of Glenisla as a landowner and farmer.

Another notable figure was Robert Kilbey, born in 1735 in Perthshire, Scotland. He served as a renowned physician and was appointed as the personal doctor to the Earl of Breadalbane.

In the 19th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of James Kilbey (1833-1902), a Scottish poet and author who wrote extensively about rural life in Angus and Perthshire.

William Kilbey (1857-1936), born in Ayrshire, was a prominent architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in North America dates back to 1783, when Andrew Kilbey, a Scottish immigrant, settled in Nova Scotia, Canada, after serving in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout its history, the Kilbey surname has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish roots, with many descendants tracing their ancestry back to the regions of Angus, Perthshire, and Ayrshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilbey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilbey 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. Middlesex leads with 128 Kilbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 128 5.05x
Gloucestershire 41 8.24x
Bedfordshire 24 18.28x
Hertfordshire 12 6.86x
Leicestershire 9 3.20x
Surrey 9 0.73x
Essex 7 1.40x
Lancashire 6 0.20x
Northamptonshire 5 2.10x
Cheshire 4 0.71x
Kent 4 0.46x
Sussex 3 0.70x
Warwickshire 3 0.47x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Staffordshire 2 0.23x
Wiltshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 61 Kilbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.37x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 61 55.37x
Cheltenham 22 57.34x
Luton 16 70.39x
Hackney London 15 10.55x
Mile End Old Town London 15 27.79x
Shoreditch London 11 10.01x
Shipton 10 3448.28x
Guiting Power 7 1296.30x
St Marylebone London 7 5.17x
Lambeth 6 2.71x
Mile End New Town London 6 119.76x
Bushey 5 120.19x
Chigwell 5 105.71x
Leicester St Mary 5 22.01x
Birkenhead 4 8.96x
Chalgrave 4 526.32x
Holwell 4 2105.26x
Islington London 4 1.63x
Kings Walden 4 404.04x
Little Bolton 4 10.34x
Sevenoaks 4 56.98x
South Croxton 4 1818.18x
Aston 3 1.70x
Brighton 3 3.48x
Hemel Hempstead 3 38.07x
Newington 3 3.20x
Chedworth 2 277.78x
Kensington London 2 1.42x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 13.20x
Peterborough 2 11.58x
Poplar London 2 4.18x
Thorpe Mandeville 2 1111.11x
West Ham 2 1.81x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 4.18x
Chisledon 1 98.04x
Everton 1 1.04x
Hammersmith London 1 1.60x
Holdenhurst 1 7.34x
Hornsey 1 3.12x
Paddington London 1 1.07x
Portsea 1 0.98x
St Anne Soho London 1 6.91x
Warkworth 1 46.51x
Whitechapel London 1 4.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 15
Mary 13
Ann 11
Charlotte 6
Jane 6
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Alice 4
Florence 4
Emily 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Am 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Elisa 1
Ellen 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Hester 1
Infant 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Margerat 1
Margt. 1
Phebe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
Henry 12
William 11
Edward 9
George 9
Alfred 5
Charles 4
Samuel 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Caleb 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Joshua 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Arther 1
Carlton 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.A. 1
Isaac 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Roger 1
Spencer 1
Stephen 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Kilbey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilbey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 260 people were recorded with the Kilbey surname. That placed it at #10,781 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilbey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 466 in 2016. That gives Kilbey a modern rank of #10,542.

What does the Kilbey surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name in Scotland or Ireland.

What does the Kilbey map show?

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